


DragonHeart: Journey Of The Dragon Princess

by MagiesHeartLove



Category: Dragonheart (1996), The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, AU - Dragon Prince, Canon Divergence - The Dragon Prince, Claudia and Rayla friends, Dragon Shapeshifters, Dragon!Shifter, F/M, Human Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Other, Rayllum, Soren Needs a Hug (The Dragon Prince), The Dragon Prince Spoilers, loosely follows the mythos of DragonHeart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:34:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 214,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22757848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagiesHeartLove/pseuds/MagiesHeartLove
Summary: On a stormy night, General Amaya find an unconscious girl in the woods and brings her back to Katolis. The girl has no memory of her past but is welcomed by King Harrow and his sons, Ezran and Callum, and is given the name Rayla.During her stay, Rayla grows closer to the royal family, including the children of the suspicious Lord Viren, who believes there is more to the girl than meets the eye. Just as Rayla begins to feel at home assassins strike the castle and an unexpected face returns, shedding light on Rayla’s past.Now, torn between her duty towards her people, and the humans she had come to see as family, Rayla and her companions embark on a perilous journey through the mystical realm of the fae, Xadia, to uncover the mystery of her past and remember where she stands in this war torn world between the humans and the supernatural fae realm.Loosely inspired by the film DragonHeart.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Claudia/OC, Harrow/Sarai (The Dragon Prince), Nyx/Soren (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 207
Kudos: 384





	1. Chapter 1

_Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect._

_~Romans 12:2_

_(~)_

The search party scouted the entire outer region of the kingdom of Katolis. The aggressive rain was coming down hard, thunder roared overhead and flashes of light nearly blinded them. Their leader, General Amaya and her second-in-command, Commander Gren, regrouped with the rest of their search party.

“No sign of anything, General,” Gren said while signing with his hands. 

Reports of a winged beast had been sighted earlier that day, so naturally, Amaya rallied her best men to scout the area for any evidence of the creature. Details were minimal, all they had to go on was that it was of unusual size and had large bat-like wings. This was enough to get Amaya to investigate. Things had been relatively peaceful these past ten years, and Amaya was determined to keep it that way.

The guards searched for hours, leaving no stone unturned. Yet, they found nothing out of the ordinary. That is until a sound came from inside the forest. Amaya felt her horse’s alarm and turned to Gren who signed, ‘ _There was a noise. That way._ ’He pointed.

Amaya signaled to her troops to follow the source of the sound. The group entered the forest stopping near a small hill where trails of mud trickled downwards to the ground, forming a brown colored pool filled with broken twigs and crumpled leaves.

In the center of the mud puddle laid a black figure. Amaya dismounted her horse and cautiously approached the unknown form, one hand hovered over the hilt of her sword. In the darkness she could make out two legs, two arms and a head covered in a black hood. When the lightning flashed again Amaya caught a clear image of the shape. It was that of a young woman, no older than fifteen from the looks of it. Amaya relaxed her tense muscles and kneeled beside the girl, noticing the way her back rose and lowered with every breath.

“ _She’s alive_ ,” Amaya signed, ‘ _Fall out. We have to get this girl to the castle_.’ Gren translated her message to the rest of the guards. They obeyed her order and Amaya lifted the girl up from the soaking wet ground. She felt the child shiver in her grasp and her eyes softened with sympathy as she gently mounted her onto her steed.

(~)

“Die, marshmallow monster!” Prince Callum said in a high pitch voice, watching his volume to make sure he wouldn’t wake up his younger brother. Ezran was sound asleep in his bed, clenching tightly to his glow toad friend Bait, who’s body was emanating a gentle glow as the little prince slept. Normally Ezran didn’t need a nightlight but tonight it seemed as though the creatures of the sky were either having a party or were feeling particularly moody tonight. Stormy nights often made Ezran uneasy, so Bait made sure to keep his human companion as relaxed as possible.

The two brothers, technically, shared a bedroom but it was divided by a single door on the wall. On one side was Ezran’s space and the other was Callum’s. Callum was occupying himself by drawing a silly dream he had one night. A ferocious dragon defeating an evil monster made out of marshmallow. It was random, to say the least, but it was fun and he was sure Ezran would think so.

Thunder roared into the night causing Ezran to jump up in alarm. “Callum, did you hear that?” the young prince hugged Bait a little too tight that it made the glow toad turn green as a result.

“It was just thunder, Ezran. Don’t be scared.”

“I wasn’t scared. Bait was scared.” Ezran exclaimed as he curled back into bed with Bait now returning to his normal yellow color. Callum looked down at his detailed drawing, placed his pencil down and got up from his chair to try and ease his little brother’s worries. They heard another sound coming from Callum’s window, only this time it wasn’t thunder.but this time it wasn’t thunder.

Both brothers hurried to investigate. They spotted their aunt Amaya and the rest of the castle guard approaching the castle. Amaya was carrying an unknown girl in her arms. The girl was wrapped in Amaya’s cape for warmth. Her hood had fallen off, revealing a full head of platinum blond hair that stood out in the darkness.

“What’s going on?” Ezran asked. “Who is that?”

“I don’t know,” Callum replied as they watch the guards take the girl into the palace. Ezran had already sprung towards the door, eager to investigate. “Ezran!” Callum groaned and ran after him.

(~)

King Harrow was in his study looking over some documents when his royal advisor, Lord Viren, entered the room. “Your Majesty, General Amaya, and the troops have returned.”

“Empty-handed, I hope,” Harrow said, his brows furrowed with worry. He was aware of the reports and was the one who sent Amaya to investigate if whether or not the rumors were true or misconceptions. He had been praying all day for the latter to come true.

“Not... exactly,” Viren replied with unease.

(~)

Harrow was relieved to hear that they did not find a beast after all, but what his sister-in-law did find was just as unexpected. Ezran was the first to run into the throne room right after Amaya and the others did. Callum, out of breath, finally caught up to him.

“Ezran, slow down!”

“Dad, what happened?” Ezran asked, trying to get a closer look at the girl in Amaya’s arms. Callum gently pulled Ezran back.

The girl’s head was nestled against Amaya’s armored chest plate, one arm limply on her side while the other rested on her stomach. Her face was stained with dried up mud and her hair, though still very luminescent in the right light, was flat and wet.

“We found this girl unconscious out in the woods,” Gren explained.

“Was she alone?” Harrow asked, eyeing the girl with genuine concern.

“I’m afraid so, Your Majesty. She appears to have hit her head.”

Harrow carefully inspected the girl, not wanting to startle her. He gently felt the back of her head, his fingers brushing against the nasty bump. “Take her to the healing quarters. Bring her cloths and hot stew.”

“Yes, King Harrow.” Gren bowed and Amaya nodded. Callum and Ezran watched on as Amaya took the mysterious girl away.

“Is she going to be okay?” Ezran asked innocently.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be alright.” King Harrow assured him, “She just needs some rest.”

“Who was she?” Callum asked, more so to himself than to anyone else. Why would some random girl be out in the woods in this weather? What could have happened to her?

“I don’t know.” Harrow said, “We’ll find out in the morning. Right now, you boys try and get some sleep, alright.”

Callum took Ezran out of the throne room, leaving Harrow with Lord Viren. The mage narrowed his eyes in worry. “Your Majesty, perhaps we should send another search party, just to be safe.”

“At ease, Viren.”

“But what if what happened to that poor girl wasn’t a mere accident?”

“We don’t know the full story.”

“Which is why we can’t be too careful.”

“General Amaya and her troops have been scouting the area all day. I think we are safe for the time being. But, if it will ease your stress, I shall send another search party early in the morning just to be safe.”

Viren sighed. “Very well, King Harrow.” He bowed and exited the throne room, his thoughts still on the mysterious girl. Why was she out in weather like this? Was she lost and or running away from someone? Or... running from something? Viren retreated to his own study and started rummaging through his ancient spell books from his mahogany shelf. He flipped through the pages all through the night, illuminated by the light of the lantern above his head.

(~)


	2. Chapter 2

Her skin was ice cold. Her body shivered and trembled uncontrollably as she felt herself sink deeper and deeper into the dark waters, the surface far from her reach. She could barely breathe and when she tried her chest felt like it was on fire. Her last breath escaped her mouth in the form of a bubble and the faint, distant echoing of voices faded as the cold darkness consumed her.

When the girl woke up her body was no longer cold. The sun’s rays warmed her skin. She sat upright, eyes squinting until she adjusted to the light. Her bed was right next to a window with the curtains pulled back showing a lovely courtyard. Several cabinets were on opposite sides of the room, with a top one open to reveal various herbs and spices with writing on them.

The girl curled her fingers, taking a fistful of the blanket that covered her lower body. As she sat upright her shoulders ached and she winced at the throbbing pain at the back of her head. Looking down at her hands she noticed the dark blue bands around her forearms. She wore a sleeveless hoodie jacket and what appeared to be some kind of armor-like shirt over a full bodysuit with a high collar taking the shape of a heart around her neck, along with a pair of long boots that reached right above her knees. The colors came in various shades of dark blues, teal, and silver which brought to mind a meadow in the moonlight.

Why was she sleeping with her clothes on? Why couldn’t she remember putting them on? Why couldn’t she remember this room or this bed? With every question, her head felt foggy, as though something was trying to make its way to the forefront of her mind. It hurt, trying to remember. It was then she realized...

She couldn’t remember her name. Suddenly the pain on the back of her head made sense. She must have hit her head and lost her memory. _Well, good to know at least my common sense is still intact,_ She thought to herself.

The girl pulled the blanket off of her and cemented her feet on the floor. Was this her home? Were her parents nearby? Did she have parents? Or grandparents or siblings? She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled a strand to her face. Her hair was platinum blond that shimmered in the sunlight. Her skin had a rosy tint, free of any birthmarks of blemishes.

Strange. Why did she feel like a stranger in her own body?

The door opened and the girl jumped out of bed. Her hands formed into fists ready to strike whoever dared to intrude upon her. She relaxed when she saw a woman dressed in white and wearing an apron around her waist. She wore her dark brown hair in a tight bun and a pair of tiny spectacles rested on the bridge of her nose. In her hands, she carried what appeared to be folded clothes and a towel.

“Oh, good. You’re awake.” The nurse said as she approached the girl, taking notice of her stance. “Don’t be scared. No one is going to hurt you. I brought you some clean clothes and a towel.” The nurse said as she placed the items on the bed. The girl relaxed, now certain this woman wouldn’t harm her.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in Katolis.” The nurse replied, “You took quite a hit to the head. Are you sure you don’t need to lie down?”

The girl shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Well, you must be starving. I’ll bring you some soup. You’re in luck, the royal cook made the hazelnut special today. You’re going to love it.”

The girl nodded politely and the nurse left the room to retrieve the soup. When she opened the door she was met with someone dressed in silver. “Oh, good morning Captain. How can I help you?” The nurse asked, closing the door behind her. The girl slowly approached the door, listening in on their conversation.

“She seems healthy enough but I don’t think she remembers anything.” The nurse said.

“Have the girl dressed and presented to King Harrow as soon as she is ready.” Replied mysterious man said the one she saw dressed in silver.

“Yes, sir.”

The girl stepped away from the door and a sudden explained wave of urgency overtook her. Her breathing accelerated and all of her senses were on high alert. The girl rushed to the window, as though she were being pulled by an aggressive unseen force, unhinged the lock and jumped outside. She shielded her eyes from the sun and took in the smell as aspen trees and field grass. The girl heard the sound of metal clanging and spotted a couple of guards approaching. She quickly hid behind a bush and waited patiently until they were out of sight. She moved quickly from the bush to behind a tree.

The girl examined her surroundings, still unable to recognize anything. She saw trees and small areas where the grass grew naturally as well as tall intimidating walls that reached to the sky with guards coming to and from every direction. The girl yelped when she heard something hard fall before her feet. She pressed her back against the tree, trying in vain to step farther away from whatever was coming.

What fell was the lid of a vent from the wall in front of her. She upheld her fists again but, just like with the nurse, she relaxed when she saw a small boy emerge, carrying an arm full of triangle-shaped pastries with red jelly in the middle. The young boy had light brown skin and dark brown hair with bright blue eyes. He wore a red shirt and dark gray pants with reddish colored boots. Accompanying him was a glow toad with a grumpy looking face. The boy looked up at the girl and smiled excitedly.

“Oh, hey. I was wondering when you were going to wake up. My name’s Ezran, what’s yours?”

The girl blinked and sniffed the boy’s deserts which awoke her hunger. She blushed when a rumbling sound came from her stomach. She was already regretting not waiting for that hazelnut soup the nurse promised her.

The boy, Ezran, kindly offered her one of his treats. “Here, have some. It’s okay, there’s plenty of jelly tarts go around.”

The girl stared curiously at the pastry, tilting her head like a lost pup. Her stomach rumbled again and the boy smiled in the insistence that it was safe. She snatched the jelly tart from his hand and sniffed it before taking a small bite. She froze, the sensation had awoken her tastebuds. The boy and his glow toad stared in bewilderment when the girl started to devour the jelly tart with an animalistic hunger, splattering jelly all over her face.

“Wow. You must be _really_ hungry.” Ezran, not too disturbed by the girl’s aggressive eating. His glow toad, on the other hand, hid behind his friend, keeping a safe distance away from the strange girl who was now wiping the jelly remains off of her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Prince Ezran!” A voice called out in anger and a man with a rounded belly wearing an apron and a red hat ran out into the yard. “I know you’re back here!”

“Quick, follow me!” Ezran pulled the girl’s hand as he crawled into the vent. The girl, still unsure about what was going on, followed him either way. The glow toad pulled the vent lid back into place with his tail. The man with the rolling pin looked around but couldn’t find the boy anywhere. The girl followed Ezran down the vents. She was surprised the tunnel was big enough to support them both.

“Come on, this way,” Ezran said. They reached another opening on the wall and Bait pushed the lid to the side. Ezran stepped out first and then helped the girl by taking her hand. They were now inside the corridor of the castle, surrounded by long tapestries and empty armored suits holding spears.

“Sorry about that.” Ezran said, “He isn’t usually that fast. Guess I was just sloppy today.” Ezran said cheerfully before taking another bite of a jelly tart he had in his pocket and offering another to his new friend. Bait stuck out his tongue and took the tart just as the girl was about to take another bite. Bait swallowed the tart whole and licked his lips. Droll dripping from the corner of his mouth.

“Bait, don’t be rude,” Ezran said disapprovingly with his hands on his hips. The girl growled and Bait’s yellow skin started to turn brown in fear.

“I’m sorry about him. Bait isn’t big on sharing his breakfast.” Ezran said. The girl pulled back when she saw how scared the glow toad was. Feeling bad for her behavior she took another jelly tart and offered it to the creature as a peace offering. Bait’s color returned to normal and he carefully stepped closer to the girl. He sniffed the tart before his long tongue snatched it up. The girl then scratched his chin making Bait croak with delight, his body started to glow at the girl’s gentle touch.

“Aww, he likes you.”

“No hard feelings, toad?” The girl said. Bait croaked in agreement.

“So you can talk,” Ezran said.

“Did you think I couldn’t?”

“Well, you didn’t really say anything before. I kind of figured you were either really shy or just didn’t like talking.”

“Or I was probably too distracted by the overweight man with anger issues chasing after us.”

“Fair point.”

The girl gasped and spun around in alarm. “Someone’s coming.”

“Really? I didn’t hear any—Whoa!” Ezran was pulled by the arm and hid behind a wall. The girl shielded him with her arm as she kept watch. She peeked behind the wall to see another guard walking down the hallway. Ezran also snuck a peak and gently tugged on his new friend’s arm.

“It’s okay. It’s just Soren. Hey, Soren!” Ezran stepped out of his hiding spot to greet the guard. Unlike the others, this one was a lot younger with dirty blond hair. He bowed before the prince.

“Good morning, Prince Ezran. This is kind of a weird question but you wouldn’t happen to have seen a girl running around here, have you? I went to the healing quarters to retrieve her but she just disappeared.”

The girl noticed the familiarity in his voice. He was the one who was speaking to the nurse before.

“Why are you looking for her?” Ezran asked.

“King Harrow would like to speak with her.” The guard replied.

The girl was perplexed by this. The king wanted to see her? She remembered now, this was the same man in silver who was speaking to the nurse earlier. Maybe she had overreacted when she just jumped out the window in an attempt to escape. Ezran returned to the girl, still hiding behind the wall.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to be scared. No one is going to hurt you, I promise.”

The girl took in a deep breath and finally revealed herself, shyly rubbing her left wrist. She stood before the guard who stared at her as though he had never seen another human being before.

“Whoa.”

Ezran boldly took his new friend’s hand and she immediately felt her whole body relax at the young prince’s touch. His innocent blue eyes shimmered. “Soren, this is my new friend,” Ezran said, introducing the girl to the guard, who was still frozen in place, his mouth partly opened to the point a fly could just fly right on in.

“Soren!” Ezran spoke again, louder this time, and the young guard finally reacted.

“Right! Meet to nice you!—I mean, nice to meet you!” The guard cleared his throat, pulled back his hair and did what the girl presumed was an attempt at a charming smile. “It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, M’lady,” he said, depending on his voice as he bowed in a regal manner.

“Um, thanks. Likewise. I guess.”

“Forgive me for startling you but King Harrow wishes to see you.”

“Why would the king want to see me?” She asked, her brows slightly narrowing in suspicion.

“He just wants to know if you’re alright. General Amaya brought you in last night, you were lost in the storm.”

“Don’t you remember?” Ezran asked. The girl didn’t reply, she turned her attention to the floor, hesitant to look them both in the eye. What was she supposed to say? That she couldn’t remember anything? Would they believe her? Maybe seeing this king was the smart thing to do right now. He may have some answers.

“Please, come with me. I promise he will explain everything.” Soren said.

“I’ll hold your hand if it makes you feel better,” Ezran said. The girl wasn’t sure if she wanted to trust this guard but she felt she could trust Ezran. Maybe it was his youthful innocence and kindness that managed to win her over, whatever the case all she knew was that she had little to fear around this sweet boy. She nodded in agreement,

“Great.” Soren extended his hand to the rest of the corridor. “Right this way, Miss.”

Soren led the two down the corridor where the girl took in the numerous tapestries on display. Some depicted various landscapes like mountain ranges, lakes and forests. Others depicted great warriors wielding swords, bows, and arrows, crossbows, scepters, etc. and some even had beautiful illustrations of magical animals like unicorns, griffins, mermaids and giants, many of which were either being tamed or captured by the heroes themselves.

She wasn’t sure how to feel about those images. A giant being struck down by a knight or a unicorn being held prisoner in a wooden fence, its neck tied to a tree while various maidens and sirs admired it from the outside. While the designs were eye-catching the stories they depicted formed an unpleasant knot in her stomach.

One tapestry, out of all the others, held her gaze for much longer. The girl stopped in her tracks, as did Ezran when he noticed her attention being drawn to the tapestry. While Ezran had already seen the image a million times it seemed to have placed the girl under some kind of trance.

It was the image of a dragon with scales made entirely out of sparkling sequins and wings that sparkled like diamonds. Blue fire spewed from its mouth and a trail of white hair flowed from the top of its head like a horse’s mane, trailing all the way down to end at a cuff on the tip of its tail. It’s horns, shaped almost like a half-open crown, and eyes that made her think of a warm sunset.The dragon was surrounded by a platoon of soldiers. A spear, stained with blood, was plunged into the dragon’s heart.

“Ah, this one. This is Katolis’s victory over Lain, The Dragon King.” Soren said proudly, noticing the girl’s sudden interest in this particular tapestry. “Legend says his heart was as cold as ice, and one-touch from his fire could make you explode. Or, something like that, I kind of forget the details.”

“Why did they kill him?” The girl asked, “What did he do?”

“What did he do? He’s a dragon! The most bloodthirsty monsters to ever walk the earth. They’re killers by nature.” Soren said, as though that answer didn’t need any further explanation.

“Doesn’t look like he’s doing much of the killing,”

Soren shrugged, “Anyway, the throne room is right this way.”

Ezran gave the girl a gentle tug, she gave the tapestry one final glance before following Soren down the hallway.

(~)

The girl’s body froze the moment she saw the king standing in the middle of the throne room. He was tall and strong-looking, the body of a warrior who had seen his fair share of battles before. He was accompanied by a man in dark and purple clothing carrying a silver scepter engraved with a purple amethyst. A woman with short dark hair and a scar running down from her left cheek stood by the king’s side. She wore armor, just like Soren, but hers was of a different design, most likely signifying that she was of a different ranking than he was.

Ezran led the girl into the room, not once did he let go of her hand, and she now stood before the king. She inconspicuously looked down at her clothes. She was just now regretting not having worn the clean cloths the nurse brought her. Her clothes were stained with dried up mud which she was probably dragging across the floor. Even if she could not remember her identity she was aware that when in the presence of royalty it was customary to bow, and so she did just that.

“Your Majesty.” She said. To her surprise, the king bowed as well. He gifted her with the same warm smile Ezran did. Rather than blue, the king had green eyes.

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” King Harrow said. His voice was soft and gentle. “I trust the nurses treated you well.”

“They did.”

“I hope so because I was about to have them executed for letting you leave the room unsupervised.” The king said with a sinister-looking smile. The girl gulped, her body became rigid in fear until the king started to laugh. “I’m only joking! Man, tough room.”

The girl laughed, unsure if to find it funny or disturbing. Ezran rolled his eyes. “He’s always trying to make those jokes work.”

“I see you’ve already met my son, Prince Ezran.” The king said, giving his young son a playful sly brow. “Sneaking off to steal more jelly tarts again?”

“How did you know?” Ezran exclaimed. Harrow took his son’s hand to reveal the remaining dried up red jelly stick stuck to his fingers. Ezran blushed and chuckled nervously, but Harrow simply laughed and then went on to introduce the two other people besides him.

“This is General Amaya. She was the one who found you. And this is my advisor, Lord Viren.”

“My dad,” Soren said to the girl, hoping it would impress her in some way. The girl examined the two back to back. The two males certain shared some physical traits but while Soren at least gave off a friendlier demeanor, this Lord Viren eyed the girl as though he half anticipated she would start chewing on the carpet like an undisciplined pup.

“Hi, Aunt Amaya!” Ezran said with an enthusiastic wave. Amaya waved back and then bowed to the girl.

Just then the doors flew open and a young boy came stumbling into the throne room. The boy straightened himself, his fair-skinned cheeks flushed with red and he scratched the back of his head.

“Sorry! Sorry. Was I interrupting something?”

“Trying to listen in on important conversations again, Prince Callum?” Lord Viren said in a disproving tone. Soren rolled his eyes which made Callum feel even worse than he already did.

The girl was perplexed when she heard this. Prince? Was this Ezran’s brother? She almost couldn’t tell with how the two boys’ appearances contrasted one another. Ezran had light brown skin and blue eyes while Callum had fair skin and green eyes. Though upon close inspection they did share the same eye shape.

“Come on in, Callum.” Harrow greeted, not at all phased or embarrassed by the boy’s interruption. “I was hoping you’d show up.”

When Callum entered the room he caught sight of the mysterious girl from last night, now up and about. She looked a lot better now than she did last night, cold and wet and covered in mud. Though her clothes had yet to be changed her face was clean. Her eyes were the color of lilac and her platinum blond hair shimmered in the sunlight, making her appear almost ethereal and otherworldly, like the faeries from his books. He was so lost in her appearance he didn’t hear his father introduce him.

“This is my eldest son, Prince Callum.”

“Uh, hi.” Callum cleared his throat and bowed, “I’m Prince Callum.”

“I guessed as much,” The girl said and did a small bow as well. “Pleased to meet you, your highness.” Callum looked down at his feet, his cheeks still red. Callum caught wind of the annoyed look on Lord Viren’s face and the poor prince seemed to shrink at his gaze.

“Now that introductions are out of the way perhaps you could tell us your name and where you are from, young lady?” Lord Viren said, trying to sound kind and inviting, but instead came out as an interrogator.

“Actually,” The girl began, nervously fiddling with her fingers, speaking directly to the king. “I was hoping you could tell me.”

“What do you mean, sweetheart?” Harrow asked.

“The truth is... I don’t remember what happened last night. I can’t seem to remember... anything.” The girl said, looking down at her feet as though admitting such a thing was the gravest sin anyone could ever commit.

“Nothing?” Ezran asked sadly. “Not even your parents?”

“I don’t even know my own name.”

‘ _Her injury must be worse than we realized_.’ Amaya signed to Harrow. The king’s heart tore to pieces. The young girl looked so lost, alone and frightened. The only anchor she had to the present was Ezran’s hand in hers. Callum clenched his satchel, feeling his heart tighten. Soren too was saddened by this discovery. Not being able to remember one’s parents had to be painful. Viren, though he kept his stern outlook, wasn’t immune to the tragedy of the situation.

“I’m terribly sorry. I’m afraid I don’t have the answers you‘re looking for.” King Harrow regretfully replied, “I understand how difficult and confusing this all must be for you, but I promise we will do everything we can to help you find your family. In the meantime, you are more than welcome to stay here at the castle.”

“Really?”

“King Harrow, are you certain that is—“ Viren began but was cut off by the king himself, who was still speaking directly to the girl.

“Of course. I will begin preparations for your living quarters immediately. In the meantime, maybe we could think of a temporary name for you. Just until you remember your real one?”

“A temporary name?” The girl said. She thought about it but nothing really came to mind.

“What about Rayla?” Ezran suggested.

“Rayla,” The girl repeated, letting the letters roll off of her tongue as though she were taste-testing a new desert. The corners of her mouth turned upwards. “I like it.”

“Alright then. Ezran, why don’t you and your brother give Rayla a tour of the caste?”

Callum was stunned, unable to speak, but Ezran was jumping up and down with glee. “Yeah! You’re gonna love it here, Rayla.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Rayla then turned to Amaya, “And thank you, for saving me.” The woman nodded her head and bowed in response.

“Come on, I can’t wait to show you everything.” The excitable Ezran dragged Rayla out of the throne room with Callum close behind.

“Ez, wait up!”

“Hey, I can come too!” Soren tried to catch up to them but was stopped by his father, who gave him a stern look. Soren knew that look. It was the look that said his dad needed to speak to him about something important.

“Or, you could go on without me. I’ll catch up. See ya, Rayla!”

‘ _Harrow, what are we going to do?_ ’ Amaya signed, ‘ _With such little information on her I don’t know how long it will take to find her family or when if ever she regains her memory.’_

“I understand your concern, Amaya. Still, we will work with what we have. Send out your troops to speak with every household in Katolis. Gather as much information as you can.”

“If I may, Harrow, I could search my library for—“

“No, Viren!” Harrow exclaimed, his booming voice echoed within the throne room, making him seem all the more menacing. A jarring contrast to the laidback man he was while Rayla was present.

“Please, Harrow. It’s like Amaya said, we don’t know how long it will take for her memories to return, or whether or not they will. If I could just find the right spell—“

“I said, _no!_ We are not using dark magic on an innocent girl. I’m sure her memory will return eventually, and until then we will do everything we can to find her family. Something is better than nothing.”

“And if we don’t find anything? Or worse, what if she’s really a wanted fugitive or an assassin? How do we know if she’s really telling the truth?”

Harrow rolled his eyes, “Oh, please. Now you’re just being paranoid.”

“I’m being cautious. She’s a stranger.”

“She’s a child. A child who needs our help.”

Viren still didn’t feel right about this decision but, knowing the king, he sighed in defeat. For now. “Very well. But, I strongly suggest we at the very least keep a close watch on her. Perhaps appoint one of the guards as her personal escort.”

“I’ll do it!” Soren said quickly, raising his hand up as high as he could stretch.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine. I trust my sons and I’m willing to trust her as well.” Harrow nodded to Amaya and the two walked out of the throne room to begin the search for Rayla’s family. Harrow was the king and Viren was the royal mage, which meant Harrow always had the final say. Problem was, Harrow had the tendency to be too emotional, even more so since the tragic loss of his wife.

“You know dad, my schedule is pretty booked at the moment but I think I can squeeze in some time to watch over our new guest,” Soren suggested as he pulled his hair back, allowing his side bangs to bounce back into place, imaging himself doing it in front of Rayla.

Viren rolled his eyes. Everyone else might have been taken by the amnesiac girl’s innocence and charms but Viren wasn’t. There was something about her he did not trust. Her timing was just too coincidental in his opinion.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Hello again, fellow humans. Human fellas!” XD
> 
> To clear up some confusion, And without spoiling anything, this story is loosely based (and named after) the 1996 fantasy film DragonHeart, which is available on Netflix so if you’re curious I highly encourage you to go check it out. It’s got a few follow up films which are mainly prequels but this one draws more influence from the first film which is, in my humble opinion, the best out of the whole bunch! 
> 
> Watching the film isn’t mandatory for this story I just thought I’d spread the word a bit. 
> 
> Until next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	3. Chapter 3

Ezran was jumping up and down the corridor, talking non-stop about all of the amazing things he wanted to show Rayla. “This is gonna be so great! We can show you the game room, the lounge, the library, the art room, that’s where we keep all of the dusty old paintings of our ancestors but don’t worry it’s not as boring as it sounds.”

Rayla couldn’t help smiling at the young prince’s boundless energy. Though losing her memory still weighed heavily on her shoulders the knowledge of having made a new friend in the young prince was enough to make things a little better. Well, two friends if she counted Prince Callum, though he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. The eldest prince walked beside her, every now and again she would catch a glimpse of him looking her way, only to immediately turn away when she caught him.

“So, uh, Rayla,” he began, unsure what to say next. “How do you... like the castle so far?”

“Not exactly easy starting a conversation with an amnesiac, is it?” Rayla said rather causally, which caught Callum off guard.

“Well, I—I didn’t want to be rude. I’m sorry was _that_ rude? It was rude wasn’t it, I’m sorry I didn’t—”

A half chuckle escaped Rayla’s throat. “It’s okay. I don’t really have a lot of things to share at the moment, as you could probablytell.” She tapped the side of her head with her finger to emphasize her point. “So, how about I just ask you the questions and you answer.”

“Sure. I mean, if it’s alright with you.”

“You are the tour guide.”

“Right. So what’s your first question?”

“First off; What’s the deal with Sir. Frowns-A-Lot?”

“Oh, yeah. Lord Viren, he’s is our high mage. He can be... pretty intense. But, he’s generally harmless. Although, between you and me, I sometimes wonder if he either sleeps on a bed or upside down in the dark.”

“Or in a coffin,” Rayla said, and the two laughed together. After that, any tension Callum may have felt was completely washed away. Rayla was surprisingly easy to talk to. Not to mention funny.

“Figured out your next question?”

Rayla nodded. “What is that book your carrying?”

“Oh, this? It’s not a book, exactly, it’s an old sketchbook.”

“You’re an artist?” Rayla said, visibly intrigued. “By the way, I believe that technically counts as a question.”

“Um, yeah I guess you could say that. They’re not that great though.”

“May I see for myself?”

“Does that also count as a question?”

“Yes. Yes, it does.” Rayla replied in a smug manner. Callum chuckled. She may have no memory but the girl had an attitude. Callum was about to offer her the sketchbook but quickly pulled away.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Just let me see.” Rayla rolled her eyes and snatched the book from his hands and started flipping through the pages. Rayla’s wows widened as she took in every detail. Even with the lack of color, the images seemed to pop right out at her. The art style wasn’t as stylized or exaggerated as the designs on the tapestries but the realism and acute accuracy was nothing short of astonishing. She had forgotten they were drawings and truly believed she was staring at the inside of the game room, see the little toy balls rolling on the floor, and feel the wind bristling through the trees at the drawing of a meadow with a fountain in the center.

“Wow. Callum, these are... these are incredible.”

“It’s just some random stuff, no big deal.”

“No big deal? Are you serious?” Rayla held the book in her hand, her fingers trailing over the image, careful not to smudge it. She fawned over one drawing in particular. “Aww, how cute!” She turned the book for Ezran to see. “Little Bait sleeping on a bed of tulips.”

“Aww, look how peaceful you loo, buddy,” Ezran said, gushing over the cuteness of the image. Bait croaked in embarrassment and whipped his long tongue out at Callum.

“Hey! I draw it as I see it.” Callum exclaimed.

“Well, I can honestly say that your royal highness is quite the art mage,” Rayla said as she handed him back his sketchbook.

“Yeah right, me a mage? In my dreams.”

Ezran whispered to Rayla, “No seriously, he has that dream a lot.”

“Ezran!” Callum exclaimed, blushing while Rayla snickered. “Let’s carry on with the tour, shall we?” Callum said, hoping to save himself from any further embarrassment.

Ezran quickly took Rayla’s hand and dragged her down the hallway. “Come on, I know what I want to show you first.”

“Whoa, okay! Slow down!”

(~)

Their first spot was the library, which was a lot bigger than Rayla expected. The four tall windows were made of stained glass with blue hues which made Rayla immediately think of the rays of the moonlight. Everywhere she turned there was a shelf packed with books on every topic. History, chemistry, geography, zoology, some books dedicated to the origins of a single kingdom.

“Wow. That’s a lot of books.”

“Come on, there’s something I want to show you.” Ezran made a beeline to one of the bookshelves. Callum recognized this section, the section which was filled with his and Ezran’s favorite childhood books.

“Here it is.” Ezran held a medium-sized book made of red velvet adorned with yellow patterns on the cover. He handed it to Rayla and she read the title aloud.

“ _Rayla, The Valiant._ ”

“Dad used to read it to us when we were little. It’s the story of a girl who saved a prince from an evil witch. I noticed the way your hair shinned in the sun and thought it would be a good fit.”

Rayla blushed as she wrapped her finger around a strand of her hair, which really did look like it was bathed in sunlight. She looked at the picture of the princess, illustrating her rescuing her prince and then the two getting married in the next page. Just as her name implied, the protagonist had long golden hair, though Rayla’s hair was lighter compared to the exaggerated illustration.

“Wow, Ezran. That’s really sweet.”

“And you can come here whenever you want and read whatever you want. There are a lot of great books about magic swords, and fire lizards, earth giants, and dragons! Those are Callum’s favorites.”

“Really?” Rayla said, “You like dragons?”

Callum began to stutter, scratching the back of his neck with one hand while tugging on his satchel with the other. “Well, sort of, kind of. Yes, in a way. I just always found them interesting.”

“Huh. And here thought everyone around here hated dragons.”

“I wouldn’t say “hate” exactly,” Callum said, “Borderline terrified’ is more accurate.”

“Why? What did dragons do that was so horrible?” Rayla asked. The two princes exchanged surprised looks then stared at Rayla, who stood there confused. “What?”

“You don’t remember the war, do you?”

“The war?”

“Between the human kingdoms and Xadia, the realm of the Fae?”

Rayla scratched her brain to try and find something and was disappointed when she couldn’t.

“Oh! Callum, tell her the story,” Ezran said, sitting on a chair opposite the two teenagers, his legs kicking underneath the table. “Maybe it’ll help you remember. Plus, the way Callum tells it will give you goosebumps.”

Rayla was surprised by Ezran’s reaction. One would think a child wouldn’t be this excited over listening to the story about how a war started.

“Well if your storytelling skills are as impressive as your art skills then, by all means, enthrall us.” 

“Are you being sincere or sarcastic?” Callum asked, carrying a vague hint of teasing in his voice. “It’s a little hard to tell.”

“Fine, I’ll ask nicely. Please tell us the story.” Rayla said, unable to keep herself from smiling in amusement.

“Please!” Ezran held his hands together, giving his older brother the big puppy dog eyes, as did Bait. On Ezran it was cute, but on Bait, it just looked weird.

Callum laughed, “Okay, fine! You win. Gather round kids, it’s storytime.”

“Yay!” Ezran hurried to a nearby desk and pulled out a chair for Rayla to sit before taking his spot next to her. Bait sat on Ezran’s lap while Callum headed towards another part of the library. One which was cloaked in shadow and garnished in spiderwebs.

The prince’s green eyes lit up when he found the book he was looking for. A thick, navy blue book with silver trims. On the cover were two rings, the outer one has intricate designs while the center ring depicted a lavish landscape of vibrant green mountains, colorful trees with purple and blue hues, and on the side of the image was a butterfly, it’s wings adorned with luminescent patterns that made it pop. Around the circles were six gemstones; gold, silver, amethyst, emerald, pearl, and sapphire.

When Callum opened the book he landed on the first page. The illustrations were unlike the ones Rayla had seen on the tapestry. They weren’t stylized or exaggerated in any way. These images looked as real and accurate as Callum’s drawings, only with color that seemed to pop right out of the page like iridescent butterflies.

“Long ago, before the race of mortals and the mystical beings known as the fae walked the earth, there were the Tuatha De Danann: The First Dragons. When humans arrived on the shorelines of the continent the eldest dragon, King Draco, saw that these seemingly helpless and small creatures had the potential to do great things. He gathered all of the other dragons together and made them swear an oath that they would always watch over mankind and help them to grow in wisdom. Not long after, the Dragon King died, his soul ascended to the sky where he remains as the constellation named after him. Legend says that this collection of stars became the eternal resting place of the dragons after they die.

“For centuries humans, dragons, and fae lived together in harmony. Despite not being born with inherited magical abilities the dragons and faeries still choose to try and teach humans magic. But one mage, the apprentice of the then dragon king Aragon, did not want limited power. He wanted to be on an equal level with his teacher, to have dominion over all the elements and not just one. So he did the unthinkable... he killed his mentor in cold blood and pulled out his heart. With it, he held all the power of the once great dragon in the palm of his hands. This gave birth to a new practice: Dark Magic. This promised mages immense power by extracting the life force of the fae folk. After this, the once unbreakable bond between the two races had been severed.

“Division spread like poison, infecting everyone it touched. The once peaceful land became a battlefield. Humans, fae, and dragons were at war for the first time in centuries. The dragons had no choice but to banish all of the humans to the west, dividing the continent in two. Now, both Xadia and human kingdoms are locked in a constant battle. Humans continue to practice dark magic, while the fae continued to defend their home by any means.”

There was nothing but silence once Callum finished his tale. The corners of the eldest prince’s mouth turned upward in pride when he saw the astonished look on Rayla’s face.

“Wow. Ez wasn’t kidding, you are good.”

“I told you.” Said Ezran.

“But one thing I don’t understand. If the dragons were trying to help humans then why would they betray them? They were teaching them magic.”

“Well, the story has been sort of... altered...in later years,” Callum said, awkwardly darting his eyes back and forth.

“What do you mean?”

“Most humans nowadays don’t really believe that what the dragons taught us was “real” magic. It was just a means to keep us happy and under control. Dark magic gave humans the power to harness all of the elemental powers at once which, for them, was far beyond anything the dragons or faeries could do. Personally, I think they just got tired of waiting or maybe they were jealous because magic didn’t come as naturally to them.”

“What do you think? Do you believe dragons were being unfair?” Rayla asked.

“My honest opinion, anything that has to _steal_ the energy from any living thing just to fuel one’s own ego power trip doesn’t sound like something worth pursuing. But, I don’t speak for everybody. What I do know is that maybe if it weren’t for dark magic the world would be a whole lot different.” Callum’s eyes dropped to the image of a dragon and a mage riding on his face. The artist perfectly captured the looks of pure joy and peace on their faces, as though they shared the same soul.

“It’s such a sad story,” Rayla said, her palm resting on the image of the dragon and mage. She wondered if such a sad tale was even worth remembering.

“Don’t worry, it gets better. Tell her, Callum.” Ezran said while Bait sat on his lap.

“Before humans were banished, the great explorer known as Sir Phineas spent his entire life collecting ancient scrolls and letters written by the dragon kings of the past. Most of his findings have been lost but those which were savaged through the years spoke of a prophecy. It said that only the Dragon Heart can mend the bond torn by pride.”

“The ‘Dragon Heart’? What does that mean?”

“No one knows for sure, but Sir Phineas always believed that one day the world will be as it once was. Humans, fae, and dragons will be together again.”

“Pretty cool, right?” Ezran said. Rayla could tell by the stars in his eyes that this was his favorite story of all time, and he loved the way Callum told it. She could understand why. The boy had a knack for making even the most depressing story in history sound hopeful in the end. The idea that things could be better somehow did leave a more positive spin on the overall story.

“They say it was just added in there to make the story less depressing for kids but mom and dad always believed it, and so do I,” said Ezran.

“Do you believe in it, Callum?” Rayla asked. The eldest prince’s green eyes looked down at the image on the page.

“Yeah, kind of. I guess in times like these you kind of need something to believe in, right?”

Rayla nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I suppose that makes sense.”

Then, out of nowhere, the pages on the books started to turn all on their own.

“What in the—“

They heard giggling coming from behind one of the bookshelves and a girl in dark and yellow clothing walked out. She was a beautiful young lady with green eyes and long raven hair with the ends dyed purple. In her hand was what could only be described as a flute made out of the bone of a living creature. The girl played a couple of notes and a gust of wind blew the books to the floor.

Callum and Ezran sighed in relief, but Rayla stared at the girl in wide-eyed amazement. Callum groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Claudia!”

The girl laughed as she stepped out from her hiding place. “You should have seen the look on your faces! You were all “Ah! The books are haunted!” the girl laughed, hugging her stomach.

“Did you just do that?” Rayla asked, pointing at the girl’s flute, feeling herself recoil in disgust at the fact that it was literally made out of bone.

“Ah, it’s just a simple wind breath note.” the girl, Claudia, blew on the flute again, creating a small puff of wind with her mouth right at the trio. Rayla smelled something and coughed in disgust.

“Gah! What is that smell?”

“Just the peanut butter I had for lunch.”

Rayla gagged. Smelling someone else’s lunch was not a pleasant experience. It wasn’t just the peanut butter she smelled but something else. Something which made her feel as though she had swallowed a barrel of filthy swamp water filled with the remains of an animal carcass.

“Pretty cool, right? It’s made out of the wing bone of a Pegasus.”

If Rayla didn’t feel before she certainly did now. “I did not need to know that.”

“Rayla, this is Claudia. Lord Viren’s daughter.” Callum said, “Claudia, this is Rayla. She’s—“

“So _you’re_ the mystery girl.” Claudia said, stuffing her flute back into her bag, “I was hoping I’d run into you. I have so many questions. What kingdom are you from? What were you doing out in the storm last night? Is that your natural eye color? It’s so weird, but not like “weird’ weird, more like a cool weird, like having only four fingers.”

Claudia bombarded Rayla with so many questions at a time the amnesiac wondered how she managed to find the time to catch her breath. Rayla also took notice of Claudia’s clothing and the fact that she just did magic. She may no longer remember who she was but thanks to Callum she now remembered the overall history of how the human kingdoms came to be. It was because humans practiced dark magic, and still did even to this day. This girl was a dark mage. Rayla wasn’t sure what to think of her, especially with her invading her personal space and staring at her like she was some newly discovered species of animal.

“Uh, Claudia, I don’t think now’s the best time to be asking those kinds of questions,” Callum said, taking notice of how uncomfortable she was making Rayla feel.

“Why not?”

“Probably because I can’t even remember my own birthday. I’ve got amnesia,” Rayla said rather bluntly, taking a step away from Claudia.

“Wait, you can’t remember... _anything?_ ” Claudia gasped and pulled out a random book from the shelf, “Do you know what this thing is called?”

“That’s a book,” Rayla answered, nonchalantly.

“Okay, what about this?” Claudia opened the book and stopped at one random page.

“That’s a flower, and that’s a chipmunk being swallowed whole by a snake,” Rayla replied dryly. Callum covered Ezran’s eyes at that one picture. Claudia carelessly tossed the book to the side, ignoring the loud sound it made hen it crashed into something.

“This...is...perfect!”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve been reading about this memory restoration spell. It’s a little complex and fancy but if I can just get my hands on a goblin’s tongue, maybe a finger or two, I bet I can—“

“Claudia!” Callum quickly jumped in, standing a few feet next to Rayla in what seemed to an attempt to keep the mage girl from getting too close. “We appreciate it but I don’t think Rayla feels very comfortable going through with that.”

“I really don’t,” Rayla said, not bothering to try and mask her disgust.

“Besides, I read somewhere that getting an amnesiac to remember things by force could actually cause more harm to their... brain.. function.”

Claudia arched an eyebrow. “Really? I’ve never heard of that.”

“Oh, it’s very true,” Ezran jump in. “In fact, I think I saw a book about it in the tenth row, medical section.”

Claudia eyed the princes suspiciously but then shrugged, “I don’t believe it, but I’ll look it up later just to be sure. Still, if you change your mind Rayla, let me know.”

“I think I’m good, thanks.”

“Anyway, why don’t we head outside to the courtyard for some lunch,” Callum suggested.

“Good idea. I’m starving.” Ezran said. Bait croaked in agreement.

“You guys go ahead, dad wants to see me and Soren about something. It was nice meeting you, Rayla.”

“Yeah... same.”

Claudia waved farewell and disappeared behind one shelf of books. Callum and Ezran both pointed in the opposite direction. “Exist’s that way.” they both said in unison, as though they had done this skit a million times before.

“Gah! I always get those doors mixed up.” Claudia said and she went in the direction the boys were pointing at.

“Well, she’s... something,” Rayla said.

“Yeah, but she kind of grows on you,” Callum said. “Eventually.”

(~)

Claudia arrived, out of breath, to her father’s study. “Hey, I’m here! What did I miss?” She stood side by side with her brother and their father closed the door behind him. Viren only ever called his children to his study behind closed doors when there was a serious matter. As in, the fate of the kingdom was at stake, serious.

“As you both know we have an... unexpected guest staying with us.”

“You mean Rayla? I just ran into her. She seems nice. A little on the snarky side but I respect that.”

“Did she say anything about me?” Soren eagerly asked.

“No. Why would she?”

“I don’t want to brag or anything but we had kind of a... connection,” Soren said with a dreamy look on his face. His sister rolled her eyes and scoffed.

“Don’t get too attached, Soren,” Viren said, making his son jump in response. “I’m not sure we can trust her quite yet.”

“Why? What harm can she do? She can’t remember anything.”

“Or so she says,” Viren replied in a chilling tone.

“What does King Harrow think?” Claudia asked.

“The King has already set plans to begin the search for the girl’s family. In the meantime I want you both to keep a close watch on her. Especially while she is with the princes. Am I understood?”

“What do you think she’s gonna do? Kill the king?” Soren asked. It was more of a joke but his father didn’t find it very funny. Viren nearly lunged at his son, his gray eyes piercing through Soren like a sword. Even Claudia flinched.

“Don’t even jest, boy!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Claudia raised her hand, “Uh, what if she has to use the bathroom?”

“Then you will go in with her,” Viren said.

“Eww, gross!”

“Isn’t that what girls do?” Soren asked, “Go to the bathroom together?”

“How should I know, I don’t have any girl friends.” Claudia froze, realizing what she just said. “That sounded a lot less pathetic in my head.”

Viren rubbed his forehead, sighing in exasperation. He loved his children but sometimes they had a tendency to be the source of several of his daily migraines. “Just alert me if you see anything suspicious. If she so much as sneezes strangely I want to hear it. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Father.” The siblings said, bowing their heads with their hands behind their backs like the well-behaved children they were.

“You’re both dismissed.”

(~)

“Man, Dad’s really on edge,” Claudia said.

“Relax. I’m sure he’s just under a lot of stress.”

“You don’t really think Rayla is dangerous, do you?”

“No way. A pretty face like that could never be evil.”

“Well, if on the off chance that she is dangerous maybe she’ll settle with killing you instead of the king.”

“Hey!.... but really, you think I got a shot with her, though?”

Claudia groaned.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I choose to use the backstory of the dragons in the DragonHeart universe because, well like I said, this is a loose adaptation of the overall themes and stories of the franchise. Yes, I did say this drew most of its inspiration from the first film but there are some small elements from the other films sprinkled here and there, but overall it shares a similar mythos to the films.
> 
> I choose to scrape the primal sources in this AU, mainly because I didn’t want to juggle cannon world building in this story which I wish to make feel more like a film rather than an ongoing series. There are still elemental based powers, such as sky, ocean, fire and earth and the mythology is more akin to classic European and Celtic myths, again similarly to the mythology in DragonHeart. 
> 
> I’ve received some questions on what type of dragon Rayla is. Well, for starters she’s a shifter dragon, as the name implies she can shift from human to dragon form, and yes a hybrid form as well but we’re not going to see it just yet. As for where she falls in the magic spectrum, wether she’s linked to the sky, ocean, earth of fire I’m going to leave that unanswered for now because I don’t want to spoil it.
> 
> Until next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	4. Chapter 4

After lunch, Ezran and Callum spent the rest of the afternoon showing Rayla all the ins and outs of the castle. As twilight approached the brothers returned to their rooms to prepare for dinner. While King Harrow personally escorted Rayla to her room. The girl was self cautious about being alone with the king as they walked down the corridor. His sons were relatively easy to converse with but with him, Rayla was worried about saying the wrong thing without meaning to. Now she knew how Callum felt when he first tried to indicate a conversation with her.

“I trust my boys were on their best behavior,” Harrow said, breaking the ice so Rayla wouldn’t have to.

“Yes, they were absolute gentleman.”

“I sure hope so. I would hate for my sons to wreck the reputation I worked so hard to maintain.” Harrow noticed the uncomfortable look on Rayla face and, to her surprise, nudged her arm and laughed. “One thing you should know about me, I’m also known far and wide as the King of Comedy.”

Rayla couldn’t suppress her laughter, which was probably Harrow’s intent the entire time. He really was as nice as he first seemed, and a lot like his sons the more she thought about it. They finally reached her room.

“Here it is. I hope these living arrangements are to your liking.” Harrow said and then opened the door, inviting Rayla inside before him.

The room was lovely with a large bed covered in white and red sheets, supported by a mahogany bed frame with gold-colored designs carved onto the headboard. The room also came with a nightstand made out of the same material as the bed and a beautiful wardrobe with the carving of a beautiful tree on one door and the carving of a majestic stag on the other. There was a full-body mirror and a pair of tall clear glass windows which led out to a small balcony.

Rayla stepped out just as the sun we setting overhead behind the grassy hills that surrounded the countryside with the village nestled neatly at the bottom. The wind picked up, carrying the sweet smell of pine and river water from the nearby woods. The king joined her, smiling in delight at the content look on her face as she breathed it all in.

“Do you like it? ” he asked, though by the look on his face he had a strong hunch he knew the answer already.

“It’s wonderful. I don't know what to say.”

“A thank you would be nice.”

“Thank you. You and your family have been so kind to me. I wish there was a way I could repay you.”

“Don’t stress yourself, your gratitude is all the reward we need.” King Harrow said, placing a hand on Rayla’s shoulder. She jumped at the physical contact but quickly relaxed when the man smiled. He had the warmth and comfort that only a father could give. Rayla wondered if her own father was ever like this. If only she could remember.

“Please, make yourself at home. I’ll have Prince Callum come and fetch you for dinner.” Harrow bowed and left to give Rayla some time to adjust to her new living arrangements.

Once Harrow was gone Rayla cautiously approached the bed, as though a creature would suddenly spring out of it. She pressed her hand down on the mattress to test its softness. Her hand practically sunk into it. Rayla pulled her hand back and walked away... then ran at full speed and jumped onto the bed, screaming with childish delight.

This was so much more comfortable than the bed she woke up in the infirmary. It was like being hugged by a friendly, cuddly bear. She wondered if she had ever slept on a bed like this before. There was no way she could forget something like this, right?

Rayla’s enthusiasm died out like water extinguishing a rising flame as she stared at her reflection in the full-body mirror. She leaped out of her new bed to examine herself. Her hair, a radiant platinum blond, shimmered as it captured the rays of the setting sun. Now she knew where Ezran got the idea for her name. It wasn’t nearly as golden as the hair of that woman from his story but it was still lovely nonetheless. Her eyes were the color of lilac and her skin was smooth and free of any birthmarks or blemishes.

Rayla didn’t want to sound conceited but even she had to admit that she was... not that badly look at. Then, why did she feel so out of place? Everything was right where it should be. Her ears, her arms, and legs, all five fingers, yet it felt like she had slipped into someone else’s skin. It didn’t make any sense.

Her attention changed from her face to her clothes. Rayla grimaced. She had been walking around the castle in this filthy getup all day. In the presence of royalty for crying out loud. The family had been so kind to her the least she could do was wash up for dinner. Lucky for her, her new room also came with a private bathroom.

After washing off whatever mud stains remained Rayla opened the wardrobe and was almost bombarded with the number of clothes she had to choose from. These people really went all out for her. All the more reason to look her best.

One by one Rayla tried on various outfits. A lot of them were beautiful daily gowns with long sleeves and complex patterns around the ends of the skirt. They came in colors such as white, yellow, purple, pink, blue, red, green, etc. but so far none really spoke to her.

She tried on one dress with a skirt so long it trailed behind her like a wedding veil.

“Too long.”

She tried on another with a shorter blue dress. It came with a dark blue corset over a white shirt with short puffy sleeves and the strings of the corset were tied up in a tiny bow. Rayla stuck out her tongue in disgust.

“Too flowery,”

The next outfit was dark red with very gray pants and brown boots. Perfect for adventure, but not the warmest of color pallets.

“Not flowery enough,”

After several more tries, Rayla was close to losing hope of finding something that was suitable. The last outfit she tried on was, in her eyes, close to perfect. But she still wasn’t sure. She gasped and jumped in alarm when she heard a knock.

“Rayla, it’s me. Harrow told me to come to get you for dinner.”

“Come in.”

Callum opened the door and his body froze. Rayla now wore a sleeveless buttoned dark blue upper body buttoned vest over a long-sleeved teal shirt, a dark blue skirt supported by a red belt with a silver buckle and outline, and dark pants with dark crimson boots and her hair looked like it had been brushed.

“Whoa...”

“Does it look okay?” Rayla asked shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I wasn’t sure if this was a casual thing or a formal thing.”

“No. I mean, yes! I mean, yes it is casual. Totally casual and... you look really nice, Rayla. Really.”

“Oh, good.” Rayla said in relief, “I mean, thank you. So what’s for dinner?”

“Huh? Oh, right! This way.” Callum courteously stepped aside, inviting Rayla to step out before him. When she wasn’t looking he face palmed himself.

(~)

Dinner was casual, just as Callum had said. Well, as casual as Rayla presumed royal dinners could be when visiting dignitaries weren’t involved. Ezran was sharing a funny story with his father, who laughed so loud he nearly shook the table. Halfway through the meal, Rayla was beginning to feel more at ease around the royals. Despite their wealth and status they truly were like every other family.

The only downside was that Lord Viren was also present, as were his children. Claudia was casually chatting with her brother, who every now and again would sneak a glance at Rayla. She never smiled back at him because she knew she would be giving him the wrong idea but when Callum smiled at her she couldn’t resist smiling back. Unlike with Soren or Viren, where she had to force herself to smile out of politeness, with Callum she didn’t need to fake anything. The corners of her mouth turned upwards before she could process what was happening. The same went for Ezran. Rayla laughed when Bait stuck out his tongue to snatch a jelly tart from Harrow’s dessert plate when he wasn’t looking. The king was very good-humored about it. His laughter was infectious, for when he laughed everyone did.

As for Lord Viren, every time she looked her way Rayla felt an uncomfortable sensation of a slug crawling up her back. The high mage gave her the exact same look he did back in the throne room. She had no idea what she did to antagonize him so much.

“So Rayla,” Harrow began while Amaya signed. Rayla immediately deduced that it was technically Amaya who was speaking while Harrow was translating her sign language.

‘ _Have you had any luck in remembering anything?_ ’ General Amaya was an intimidating looking woman, with or without her armor. She had a strong and demanding presence whenever she walked into the room, her eyes always carrying an intense focus. But when she addressed Rayla her eyes were gentle, the expression on her face emoted concern rather than an interrogation. 

“Nothing very useful, I’m afraid,” Rayla replied shaking her head. Once again she felt Viren’s eyes staring at her like a hawk hovering over a field mouse, waiting for the right moment to snatch.

‘ _Give it time. I’m sure your memories will return when you least expect it._ ’

“I hope so too.”

“You’re lucky General Amaya found you when she did,” Viren said while cutting his meat. The juices of the dead animal trailed down from the veins like a river on the plate. Rayla noticed she could smell the tender flesh and the internal juices from where she sat, as though the food were on her plate instead of Viren’s. She had to snap herself back to reality, almost losing herself in the scent. Not because it smelled delicious, but because it reminded her of the scent that came off of Viren himself.

“What do you mean?” Rayla asked.

“There had been reports of a beast lurking in the woods for the past couple of nights.”

“Which I’m sure are just exaggerated misconceptions.” King Harrow said after taking a sip from his gold chalice. “It could have been a wolf or a mountain lion.”

“Or a dragon,” Viren added. King Harrow shot the mage a subtle glare, a non-verbal command to drop the topic altogether. “Or, a wolf.” Viren added, “Either way, you're very fortunate to still be in one piece.”

“Don't worry your pretty little head about those dragons, Rayla,” Soren said, waving his fork around as though it were a sword while flexing his muscles. “If those nasty lizards ever come after you, they’ll have to go through me.”

“I think the dragons are the least of her worries,” Claudia said, playfully poking her brother’s armored shoulders. Soren glared at his sister in response, but Claudia just smiled innocently.

Callum rolled his eyes at the young guard’s attempt at flirting. Rayla, on the other hand, seemed less than impressed.

While she did like how friendly Claudia was, albeit a bit too quirky for her taste, there was a certain air about her. A scent of some kind. Like the cold unforgiving hands of death were only moments away from strangling her. Rayla sensed the same thing coming from Lord Viren, however, his scent was much older, as though his body was already decaying from the inside out. Was this the side effect of dark magic? Or was it all in her head? After hearing Callum’s story Rayla wasn’t sure if she should trust this man. Claudia was a muddy subject, but there was no debating when it came to Viren.

His son, on the other hand, seemed relatively harmless. A bit of a blowhard, but harmless none the less.

“Thank you, Soren. That’s very... noble of you.” Rayla said, trying in vain to sound even the tiniest bit impressed. “But I wouldn’t want you worrying your pretty little head about me. Besides, I’m not scared of dragons.”

Rayla jumped in her seat when Soren did a spit take right on his sister’s lap. “Ewwww!” Claudia growled, her fingers curling in disgust.

“You’re not?” Harrow said in surprise.

“ _Have you ever slain one?_ ” Amaya signed, seemingly intrigued.

“No.” Rayla said with a casual shrug, “I just don’t find them all that scary.”

“Probably because you don’t remember the kind of demonic creatures they truly are,” Viren said.

“Oh, no, I’m perfectly aware of the war between the human kingdoms and Xadia. Prince Callum explained it to me earlier today. I just think maybe there’s more to dragons than we think.”

Callum tapped Rayla’s elbow and did a “cut it out” hand signature bellow the table, only for her to see. Rayla arched her left eyebrow in question as to why Callum was telling her to drop the topic altogether. She knew dragons and humans were at war and maybe trying to sound empathetic towards the giant magical reptilian creatures wasn’t wise, especially in front of the general, but she couldn’t help but want to understand. Something about the history of the dragons was alluring, like a siren song calling out to her beyond the aggressive ocean waves.

But Callum knew from first-hand experiences that talk about dragons and the war during dinner often led to disaster.

“I hate to disappoint you, my dear, but there is nothing positive to be said about dragons. They are a cold, heartless race that wants nothing but to see our kind extinguished from the world.”

‘ _That’s by far the only thing Viren and I can agree on._ ’ Amaya signed, which Harrow was already regretting.

“Now, now, let’s not talk politics at the dinner table.”

“If that’s the case then why haven’t they done it yet?” Rayla said, “They have all magic of Xadia at their disposal so why not just take the human kingdoms and be done with it?”

“Anyone want cake?” Callum chimed in, looking more nervous than ever, “I could go for some cake right now.”

“Because we have something they fear most. Dark magic.” Viren said. “The dragons are aware of humanity’s potential and while they are sinister they are not fools. They know better than to provoke us.”

“But aren’t there other alternatives aside from dark magic?” Rayla said, stubbornly refusing to let the subject rest.

Claudia started laughing out loud. She only stopped when she noticed nobody else was laughing with her.“Oh, wait. You’re serious?”

“Yes, I am,” Rayla said defiantly. “Didn’t dragons originally try to teach humans magic?”

Viren pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, “We no not call that practice “magic”. It was a gambit to keep humans in line. The dragons knew of our potential so they kept us distracted with feeble tricks. They were envious of what we could accomplish, frightened that the species they swore to protect could elevate to their level.”

What Viren just said reminded Rayla of what Callum mentioned before. How something that required the essence of a living creature to fuel one’s ego power trip was not worth pursuing. He was right. The way Viren spoke it didn’t sound like the honest words of a man who genuinely believed in what he was preaching, but of a frightened human who hid behind ambition fueled by anger and insecurity to feel superior to a creature from which his power relied on in order to actually exist.

Without dragons or the fae creatures from which to draw power, dark mages would be nothing. This realization stirred something within Rayla.

“You require the magical essence of dragons and fae in order to create your spells.” She began, “With that said, what is the end game of this war then? You wipe out all magical creatures you lose your power source. You keep them all locked up in cages but one way or another they will die out. Once they do your power dies along with them. Your magic ceases to exist. So who really has the power?”

Claudia and Soren looked just about ready to dive under the table and hide for as long as they had to. Harrow and Amaya were left in stunned silence while Viren gripped his spoon so tightly everyone was half expecting him to break it in half. Silence draped over the room like a cloak.

Viren’s left eye slightly twitched as he felt the girl’s lilac orbs piercing into his soul. Rayla did not squirm at Viren’s gaze this time. The silence was suffocating so Viren cleared his throat and loosened his grip on his utensil.

“Well then. I suppose we can agree to disagree.”

Soren and Claudia looked at each other in surprise at their father’s calm response. General Amaya was taken aback, for nobody had ever been able to put Viren in his place the way Rayla did. Her character reminded her so much of her younger sister. She too cared deeply about all living things, whether they be fae or not, and was never keen on the abuse of power, especially when it involved an action that led to more and more bloodshed.

Sarai was right. Look at what the risk of dark magic cost her.

Rayla blinked and slightly shook her head as though she were waking up from a deep sleep. She rubbed her forehead, feeling the side of her head throbbing.

“Rayla, are you okay?” Callum asked.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. Just a little lightheaded.”

“Perhaps that’s enough excitement for one day. You should get some rest.” Harrow said, getting up from his chair and taking Rayla’s hand to escort her to her room. Viren watched as the king kindly led the girl out of the dining hall and his anger rose again. While nobody else was looking he stabbed his dinner with his fork, imagining it was a dragon’s throat.

(~)

“How are you feeling?” Harrow asked while Rayla sat on the corner of her bed.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

“Rayla, I understand this may all seem very frightening, but I promise you I will do everything in my power to find your family. I give you my word.”

“Thank you, your Majesty. I appreciate everything that you’re doing for me, and I’m sorry if I spoke out of line.”

“Out of line? No, of course not. I agree with you one hundred percent.”

“But, I thought that you—“

Harrow shook his head, “No, no. Viren is my oldest friend. He’s been with me through some of the hardest moments of my life. He can be a bit...stubborn but he means well. I tolerate his practices, but I can’t say I was ever for them.”

Rayla played with the ends of her sleeves, thinking about what Harrow said. So, he didn’t like dark magic any more than Callum did, which was wonderful to hear.

“Do you believe dragons are evil?” Rayla asked, hoping she didn't offend him by asking.

“You seem pretty fascinated by them,” Harrow said as he took a seat beside her. “Sounds like you and Callum have something in common.” This comment made Rayla blush, which Harrow noticed. But his smile faltered as he thought about what she asked. “Between you and me I like to think that there are good dragons, though I doubt they would be very kind to me.”

“Why?”

Harrow cleared his throat. “War is full of uncertainties. There are centuries of wrongs on both sides. I, regretfully, am responsible for some of those wrongs.”

Rayla could not only see the sorrowful regret in the king’s eyes and hear it in his voice, but she also felt it in her heart. The once happy, joyful man she had met earlier today was now a crumbled, broken and injured soul with wounds he blamed on nobody but himself. Rayla found herself reaching for his hand to give it a comforting squeeze.

“If you could change things, what would you do?” Rayla asked. The question came so naturally, she wasn’t sure if it came directly from herself or by someone else speaking through her mouth.

“My wife used to ask me the same question. I could never find a direct answer. I suppose I would wish for things to be better. For my sons to grow up in a world where they don’t have to always worry if the next day could be their last. To not be led by fear... or hatred.”

Rayla smiled softly. “I’d say that’s a good answer.”

Harrow smiled, feeling his spirits lifting bit by bit. “You may not have your memories, but it’s good to know your wisdom is still intact.”

Rayla laughed and smiled at the king’s compliment. Then, she noticed the moonlight cascading into the room from the balcony. She looked at the night sky and something, other than the moon caught her eye. King Harrow noticed this and he saw what she was looking at. He took her hand and led her to the balcony. Above them, on the clear night sky, were a group of accurately aligned stars.

“Do you see that group of stars?”

“Yes,” Rayla said, mesmerized by the sight as though she were seeing the stars for the first time in her life.

“Do you see the shape that they make?”

“A dragon,” Rayla replied quickly.

“Yes. It’s named after the first king of the dragons.”

“Draco. The eternal resting place of the dragons.” Rayla noticed the impressed look on the king’s face. She shrugged, “Callum told me the story.”

“I figured as much. I admire his curiosity. I wish most people shared his desire to understand the world. To see things beyond what our eyes will allow. He gets it from his mother. She used to love looking up at the stars. She would make up the most ridiculous shapes out of nowhere.” Harrow laughed. “But, it made her laugh.”

“She sounds wonderful,” Rayla said, joining him on the balcony. She dare not ask how she perished, she guessed as much given how the king spoke of her in the past tense.

“She truly was. I like to think she’s up there in the stars, watching over us. Maybe she’s had better luck befriending dragons than I have.” Harrow laughed, prompting Rayla to laugh along with him.

“Thank you, Rayla.”

“For what?”

“For listening. I don’t get a lot of opportunities to simply reflect nowadays.”

“Your welcome, your majesty.”

“Well, I’ll let you rest. Goodnight, Rayla.”

“Goodnight.”

Rayla bowed and the king left the balcony. Rayla stayed out a bit longer to admire the constellation. People around her were so conflicted when it came to dragons. Some feared them like monsters under the bed, others hated them for their power, while others were enthralled by their magnificence like Callum and Ezran. Harrow was difficult to categorize. He did not fully condone dark magic yet still allowed Viren to perform his spells. He said nothing outright negative about dragons but nothing too positive either. He was conflicted, she could tell.

She wished she could help relieve him of some of his burdens, but from the looks of it all he really needed was someone who was willing to listen. After a while Rayla found herself yawning. Drowsiness started to take over and she slopped on the bed. In no time at all, she fell asleep.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really would have loved for Harrow to have met Rayla in the actual show. I think they would have gotten along great.
> 
> Next chapter, get ready for some Rayllum! Also, extra world building. Until next time, God bless *kiss, kiss*


	5. Chapter 5

Rayla tossed and turned in her sleep. Her skin felt cold yet she was sweating as if she had been traversing an aimless desert for days on end. In her dream she was inside a forest with trees so tall they towered over her like pillars holding up the sky with branches that bend and twist like claws ready to tear at her flesh. The branches conjoined, taking on the distorted shapes of soldiers waving their swords against the massive dragons. Fire spewed from the creature’s mouths engulfing the forest in flames. People screamed in anguish and the dragons roared, but these were not roars of victory. They too were roars of pain and sorrow, matching the cries of the people they were burning alive. As the fire grew the dragons also fell dead on the ground just as the humans did. They shared each other’s pain, and thus they shared each other’s death. Rayla could hardly breath. Her chest was heavy like a massive claw was being pressed against it.

_You’ve made a terrible mistake..._

A voice echoed in the darkness, followed by another.

_There is only one way to..._

And another...

_Humans struck down the king..._

And another...

_The king of the dragons is dead!..._

_Justice will not be denied..._

_Today you die!..._

“NO!” Rayla awoke with a blood curling scream. She pressed her hands on her chest feeling it rise and fall as a result of her breathing. Whatever it was that was holding her down was gone. She screamed again when she heard a frantic knock at the door.

“Rayla? Rayla, what’s going on?!”

She tried to answer but her voice didn’t work. Her brain was preoccupied with making sure she was inhaling enough oxygen. Callum burst into the room with eyes so wide he looked as if he had just seen a ghost. He rushed to her side.

“Rayla! What happened? Are you okay?” Callum asked but Rayla couldn’t answer. Her skin was pale and her pupils dilated. Her breathing came out in very short breaths. She was hyperventilating.

“Rayla, look at me.” Callum gently lifted her chin up to face him. Her skin was pale and her pupils dilated. “It’s okay, you’re safe. Just breathe, alright. Breathe.”

Rayla focused on his forest-green eyes and did as he instructed. Callum guided her through the process, inhaling slowly through his nose and out his mouth. After a couple of more tries, Rayla was able to calm herself. Her heartbeat eased down and she was no longer trembling. Callum sat on the side of the bed and wrapped a comforting arm around her.

“Feel better?”

Rayla nodded, her hands still clenching her heart. “I think so.”

“What happened? Did you have a nightmare?”

Rayla nodded again. She really didn’t want to talk about whatever it was she had seen. The screams and blood spilling everywhere was too much for her to even think about, if she spoke of it she would start shaking and wheezing again.

“Do you need anything? A glass of water?”

Rayla shook her head. “No. I’ll be okay.”

“You sure?”

Rayla stared into his eyes and she found herself unable to lie to his face. “Actually, I could use some company. Maybe a little fresh air.”

“Well, you’re in luck.” Callum said, a smile growing on his face, “I was just about to head down to the library.”

“At this hour? Is this some princely activity I’m unaware of?”

Callum chuckled. Judging by her lightheartedly sarcastic tone Callum could concur that she was indeed feeling a lot better.

“No. I couldn’t sleep so I thought a little late-night reading would help. I know it’s not the most exciting activity but—”

“Sounds good, let’s go.” Rayla quickly got off the bed and walked to the door. “Are you coming or what?”

Callum nodded and quickly joined her, happy to see that she was feeling a lot better. Callum took Rayla’s hand and led her down the hallway. She felt herself slightly jump at his touch, like a small burst of lightning just coursed through her hand and up her arm. It was unexpected yet strangely comforting. Rayla allowed the prince to lead her through the maze-like castle. How did anyone manage to not get lost in here was beyond her?

Once in the library, Callum placed a small lantern on the table. “Don’t be shy. Pick whatever book you like.” He said with an optimistic tone. The boy really likes his books, Rayla gathered.

She looked around the various shelves to see what would intrigue her. Just as she was about to pick one with a mermaid on the cover she was surprised to find the tall stack of books Callum had just dumped on the table.

“This is your idea of ‘light’ reading?” Rayla said while making air quote gestures with her hands.

“Technically I’ve read half of these already so I mostly just skim through them.”

“Have you really read all of these books?” Rayla said, stretching her hand to showcase the one half of the massive library.

“Not all of em. Some are written in the ancient scholar language and my Old-Katolian is a bit rusty.”

Rayla laughed and picked up one of the books from Callum’s pile. She read the title aloud, “ _Elementals: Mother Nature’s Offsprings._ ”

“The title is a big exaggerative. Mother Nature’s not an actual person.” Callum said in a whisper, as though it were some big secret.

“You’re really into this Xadia stuff, aren’t you? Not that I’m judging.”

“It’s kind of a hobby of mine,” Callum said as he placed certain books in order from which he would read them. “I’ve never been outside of the Katolis so these books are my only window into the outside world.”

“You’ve never left the castle?”

“No, I have. Just never traveled beyond the kingdom’s borders is what I meant.”

“Sounds pretty boring. Being stuck in the same place for so long.”

“Yeah, but you find ways to pass the time.”

“I can see that.” Rayla gestured to the books, “What made you so interested in Xadian culture in the first place?”

“My mom,” Callum replied without hesitation. “She used to tell me all kinds of stories about Xadia. She said that it was this place where there was magic everywhere you look. In the plants, the ground, the rivers, and on the highest mountain top where the sylphs dance amidst a thunderstorm.”

“Sylphs?”

Callum opened the book of the elementals and flipped through the pages, stopping at a section all about these sylphs Callum was referring to. Rayla was surprised to learn that these faes closely resembled humans, save for their pointed ears and the markings they bore on their arms with traces of blue powdered across their bodies. The most distinguishable feather were the pairs of feathered wings which sprouted from their backs. The illustrations depicted the sylphs dancing in the wind, their bodies blending into the midst of the clouds, and in the eye of a thunderstorm bending the strings of lightning-like ribbons as they danced in a circle.

“They’re faeries of the wind and sky. They have the power to create powerful gusts of wind with their wings and generate lightning through those symbols on their arms.” Callum turned another page, demonstrating a race of leaf-like people with flowers and twigs in their hair. Some looked like their skin was made entirely out of flower petals, leaves or tree bark.

“The dryads are earth elementals with the power to transform into plants and trees. Their leader is called the Leshy, the wisest and eldest dryad in Xadia. He also governs over fauns, satyrs, gnomes and centaurs, all of which are connected to the earth.”

Rayla leaned in close while Callum explained to her the other various types of elementals in the book. She took notice of the way his green eyes sparkled in the light of the lantern as his enthusiasm grew. The next illustration was of fish-humanoids with scales that shimmer like sequins.

“The undines are water elementals. Naiads reside in lakes while nereids live in the ocean. They shed their scales once every year during a full moon, and have been sought out by fishermen through the centuries to forge into priceless jewelry. There are the Winter Sprites that live at the peak of the Caldera Mountains where they create ice, snow, and avalanches with just a flick of their fingers. Oh, and in the farthest part of the Xadian desert are the Ifrit, aggressive fire elementals with incredible speed and temper. They’re also very acute tricksters.”

“They must be a lot of fun at parties.” Rayla joked, making Callum laugh.

“If you think that’s impressive, you haven’t seen the best part.”

“Does it involve dragons?” Rayla asked with a teasingly knowing tone.

“Lucky guess.” Callum opened the same book he showed her earlier that day, depicting the history of how the war began, but he flipped through the pages until he found one section that focused on the different types of dragons and the fae creatures of their respected domains. 

“Remember when I said that dragons were the first beings to ever to walk the earth?”

Rayla nodded.

“Legend has it that all magic originated from them. Over the centuries they evolved into six forms of primal magic: fire, earth, water, ice, and sky. There are five dragon tribes, each connected to one of these elements. The EarthWing dragons possess a green-colored fire that can’t burn flesh but can warm the earth enough to make plants grow. The SeaWing dragons of the ocean with scales that shine like pearls, and the power to create tsunamis on a whim. Their powers are at their peak during a full moon at high tide. The FireWing dragons of the desert with scales so hot they burn at the slightest touch and scorpion-like tails that emit a deadly poison. The SkyWing dragons which can breathe lightning, and the IceWing dragons which—“

“Let me guess, have ice breath?” Rayla said with a cheeky grin.

“Actually, it’s acid,” Callum said with a smile that rivaled Rayla’s. The prince laughed at the shocked look on her face. Realizing the joke Rayla slapped his arm, nearly pushing him out of his chair. “Ow! You’re stronger than you look.”

“But wait, you said there are six elements. You only mentioned five.”

“That’s because the sixth element is the rarest of all and bounds all five elements together.” Callum’s hand landed on the image of the Draco constellation, allowing Rayla to place two and two together.

“The Stars,” she said in awed realization.

“Yes. Only one species in the entire world is born with a connection to the sixth element: The Celestial Dragons: The Tuatha Dé Danann. While each tribe has its own leader, it’s the Celestial Dragons who govern all of Xadia.”

While Callum entranced Rayla with his vast knowledge on Xadia the prince flipped through the pages to show her just what these dragons looked like. EarthWing dragons were long and slender, almost like serpents with scales that looked as if they were made out of emeralds. The SeaWing dragons came in various shades of blue, cyan and aquamarine, with patterns across their scales that looked like strings of pearls were sewn onto their bodies. SkyWing dragons were strong and muscular, with more feather-like but it read that the feathers themselves had scales. FireWing dragons came in gold, red, orange and sandy-yellow colors, the ends of their tails resembled then venomous stinger of a scorpion just as Callum said. IceWing dragons varied from pure snowy white, to clear icy blue, grey and even purple. Their scales were coated in frost and their horns looked like they were carved out of icicles.

Lastly, the Celestial Dragons. Their scales were as dark as the night with blue and purple colored symbols across their bodies, their underbellies were tinted with purple and pink hues. Their dark purple horns were adorned with silver cuffs and instead of spikes running down their backs they long manes that shimmered like stardust, bringing to mind the pure and noble unicorn. The membranes of their wings were as blue as a clear day sky but with tiny diamond-shaped scales making it appear as though they held the stars themselves within their wings. Their appearance embodied everything that was both beautiful and mysterious about the cosmos.

Rayla was taken in by their otherworldly beauty. When they breathed fire it was blue with radiant stars sprouting from the tips of their flames. Before her eyes, Rayla saw the image flash from it’s beautiful artistic interpretation to the horrific image of the dragon being pierced at the heart, the same image she saw embroiled in the tapestry. Rayla gasped and pulled her hand back in fright.

“Rayla, are you okay?”

“Why did they kill him?” Rayla asked.

“Who?”

“The king of the dragons, from the tapestry. He was a Celestial, wasn’t he?”

Callum bit his bottom lip, regret flashed in his eyes. “Yes. He was.”

“Why?” Rayla asked anguish edged on her face. “What did he do to make people hate him so much?”

“He—“ Callum stopped himself, feeling if he hadn’t his voice would have failed him. “He took my mother.”

Rayla gasped. “Callum... I...”

“It’s okay.”

Rayla bit her bottom lip, tasting the salt of her tear. Callum could see the hesitation written all over her face. She was scared to ask any further questions about his mother, knowing well it would hurt him.

“Katolis was going through a drought.” Callum continued. “It was getting worse and people were starving. Viren knew of a spell that could make the crops grow faster. But, he needed the heart of a magma titan in order to cast it. So, despite King Harrow’s resistance, he eventually found no other way. They crossed the border into Xadia which was guarded by the dragon king. Everyone else managed to survive except...” Callum’s voice cracked and Rayla held his hand in hers, this time giving it a firm squeeze in an effort to comfort him as he did for her just moments ago.

Callum’s brows furrowed, wrestling with the anger that boiled inside of him. “A few years later my step-father... plunged a spear into Lain’s heart...to avenge my mother.” Callum closed his eyes shut, tears prickling his eyes. “But, it didn’t fix anything. My mother was still gone, and my step-dad... he wouldn’t speak to anyone after that. I could tell he regretted it every single day. You would think I’d be happy about that. Finally, my mother’s death was avenged but, it didn’t make me happy. It made me sad, and angry and... confused. I mean, why should I feel sympathy for a dragon, right? But I did. And I also hate him for killing my mother, and sometimes I was angry at my step-dad for doing what he did and I just...”

He couldn’t fight it anymore. The dam broke and Callum cried, covering his face with his hand. Rayla wrapped her arm around him. One or two tears escaped her eyes as well.

Callum sighed as he stared at the image of the dragon. How could a creature inspire such wonder and such sadness at the same time? Callum wanted to both slam the book shut in anger but he also wanted to mourn for both losses. Rationally speaking, it made no sense. He should hate the dragon for killing his mother, but if they hadn’t gone into Xadia she would still be here. She was against Viren’s plan from the start but she put aside her own feelings for the sake of her people. What could have been done to prevent such a travesty? Would things have been better if they weren’t at war with Xadia? The land was plentiful, naturally, for they had dryads and fauns and elves catering to the forest all year round. Humans only had hard work and the occasional spell from a high mage. But look where dark magic had gotten them. While it brought some merit, eventually the humans would face the consequences which only resulted in more problems. More fear, and more division.

“I know I shouldn’t care but the more I think about it the more I realize that when we hurt them they hurt us back. Rinse and repeat. It becomes a cycle that never ends and both sides keep losing people they love. I lost my mother but the dragons lost their king. I... I hate that this all happened.”

Rayla cleaned the prince’s face tear-stained cheek with her thumb. She understood where Callum was coming from. She understood why both Harrow and Viren did what they felt was necessary, even if it would cost them greatly down the road, but she also understood Callum’s own conflicting feelings. Even he was unsure about how to feel about all of this, similar to Harrow.

“I often wondered if there was another way. I keep thinking that if I try hard enough then maybe I can find something that will fix things. Find a way to make peace with Xadia somehow,”

“Like... a prophecy?” Rayla asked.

Callum rubbed the bridge of his nose and close his eyes shut before sighing, leaning his head back against his chair. “ I know, I sound like a lunatic, don’t I?”

“No, not at all,” Rayla said softly. “I think it’s pretty brave, actually.”

Callum scoffed a chuckle, “I wouldn’t exactly call myself brave,”

“But you are. I’m really sorry about what happened to your mother, and I can understand how confusing and painful it must be for you. But I find it incredibly admirable that while others see hatred and fear you see a chance for peace. You believe in something even when others say it’s impossible. I may not remember who I am but I know bravery when I see it.”

Callum was stunned. The dancing flame of the candlelight illuminated Rayla’s face, her lilac eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, like beams of moonlight kissing the petals of the flower, and her hair looked as if it was adorned with stardust. He wasn’t sure how long he had been staring into her eyes for, but as he did he felt like she was not only looking at him but looking into him. Her gentle gaze peeled away every layer, even layers he didn’t know he had, and when she got to the center it was as if she had found the one treasure to rival all others.

The prince finally snapped awake from his trance and immediately pulled his hands away from hers out of embarrassment. He cleared his throat, “Thanks. Thanks for listening.”

“No problem.”

The two sat there in awkward silence. “Do you want to read something else, or...?” Callum asked in an awkward attempt to shift the heavy conversation to something more lighthearted.

“Actually, I’m starting to feel a bit drowsy.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah me too. I’ll take you to your room.”

Rayla nodded her head and allowed the prince to lead her through the darkened hallways. The night certainly did not go as expected. What was originally supposed to be a quiet time of light reading became a moment of reflection and deep secrets being brought to light.

Rayla’s heart broke in two when she learned the truth about Callum’s mother and why the people of Katolis felt such resentment towards dragons. After hearing Callum’s side of things she couldn’t help but be marveled by his level of emotional maturity. He was angry at the dragon but did not take his frustrations out on him. He did not resent his father for having committed the act either, and when Rayla spoke with Harrow she could see how much that choice weighted on him. He wished he hadn’t done it because now his kingdom was at risk of another battle. Even with knowing the truth Rayla didn’t resent Harrow for his choice. She even understood why Viren felt killing the magma titan was a needed sacrifice for the people of Katolis, even if his actions did result in angering the dragons and the untimely death of the queen. Like Callum, Rayla wished things could have been different, but one can’t change the past. She now saw why King Harrow held such pride towards his eldest son.

Once they reached Rayla’s room Callum scratched the back of his neck. After that heavy conversation, which was really more him going on and on about his feelings, he wasn’t sure what would be the next proper thing to say.

“I, uh, I hope I didn’t bore you with my babbling on about Faes and dragons.”

“No, not at all. It was nice. Maybe we could do this again sometime.”

“S-sure, yeah, of course. I mean, if you really want to.”

“Yeah, I do. That’s what I just said.”

“Right. Yes, that is... that is what you... said right there.”

Rayla giggled at Callum’s stuttering. So, to ease his worries, she kissed his cheek. Callum froze where he stood, eyes glued wide. Rayla blushed at her bold action and bashfully bit her bottom lip.

“Goodnight, Prince Callum.”

“G-goodnight, Rayla.” Callum managed to say, but not without a tiny stutter, as he watched Rayla enter her room. She smiled his way once more before closing the door. As he headed back to his room Callum felt as light as a feather he was practically gliding down the hallway.

Rayla snuggled against her pillows and let sleep whisk her away. This time, she slept peacefully with no chaotic nightmares. The last thing she saw before falling asleep was the beautiful green eyes of the prince that made her think of a beautiful meadow in spring.

As for Callum, once he returned to his room he leaned against the door, sighing contently. With the biggest goofiest smile on his face, Callum fell on top of his bed, staring up at the ceiling until he dozed off. The last thing he saw before falling a sweet were the lilac eyes of the mysterious girl with the fae-like beauty.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sweet Rayllum for all of you! 
> 
> To clarify, no Aaravos is not a part of this story and no he is not connected to Rayla in any way. I strongly doubt I’ll be able to incorporate every character in the show because my main focus is on Rayla, Callum, Ezran, Soren, and Claudia. The various types of dragons were inspired by both the show’s world-building as well as the dragons from the Wings of Fire book series. 
> 
> I wish I could answer more questions but, again, I don’t want to spoil anything.


	6. Chapter 6

Viren knew he shouldn’t let that... that girl get the better of him. The way she spoke at the dinner table as though she withheld the same authority as a member of the high council. Typical teenagers, they think because they’re growing older that they suddenly know how the world works. This was why he made sure his own children were well aware that this was not the case. Wisdom does not come from age but from experience, Soren and Claudia knew this. If they ever went astray they would be as aimless as Prince Callum.

That little mongrel wasn’t fooling anyone. He had been enamored with the faes of Xadia ever since he stumbled upon the library by himself, and now he was filling that girl’s head with sugar-coated stories that had the audacity to claim themselves as historical facts. Boys his age should be more concerned with courting young women than daydreaming about a race of monsters that wanted nothing more than for humanity to revert back to their lesser state.

It was bad enough that Soren was already smitten with their new guest, but it was clear as day that the prince had become infatuated as well. The mage rolled his eyes then took a deep breath.

On the other hand, perhaps he was overreacting. The girl had amnesia after all so she could simply be confused. She didn’t seem like a threat but he couldn’t shake away this uneasy feeling he had just by being around her. There was a familiarity about her that Viren couldn’t quite pin down. Her eyes... those inhumanly colored eyes... he could only hope that he was wrong and she was simply a lost child in need of help. His children would be sure to inform him if that were the case.

For his sanity’s sake, and for the sake of Katolis, he hoped that was the case.

(~)

Soren really didn’t like his training sessions with Prince Callum. The eldest prince was awkward, small and frail, not exactly the qualities one looked for in a knight, but it was his “princely” duty and King Harrow thought that training under the wing of someone closer to his age would be good for him.

Soren was a bit surprised when he saw Prince Callum enter the courtyard. Ordinarily, he would be tripping over himself, literally, whenever he had to pick up the sword. But today, the prince did a little slip and was humming a merry little tune. Perhaps today practice would be different. Or at the very least less cringe-inducing.

“Prince Callum, today we focus on the art—“

“Art. Finally something I’m good at.” Callum said in a rather cocky manner as he removed the satchel with his sketchbook and tossed it to the side. Soren narrowed his eyes, unamused by the prince’s attempt at humor. “Sorry, sorry. Won’t interrupt again. Continue, Soren.”

“The _art_ of defense is critical in sword fighting.” Soren demonstrated by waving his wooden sword with perfect precision and timing. He made it look so easy, but every time Callum tried to replicate his movements he either slipped, tripped, or fell hard on his behind. Sometimes all simultaneously.

“Parrying is about angle, motion, and anticipation. Misjudge your opponent and it’s over.” Soren empathized his point by poking Callum in the head, a little harder than he needed to. “You ready?” Soren handed Callum his wooden sword, which the prince immediately dropped before picking it back up again.

“Uh, I’m gonna have to say ‘no’.”

“Great. Let’s do this.” Soren said unenthusiastically while pulling out a wooden sword of his own. The young guard took his position, opposite the prince. Callum cleared his throat and held the sword firmly in front of him, the end pointing towards the sky.

“A knight is sworn to valor. His heart—“

“Prince Callum, we’ve talked about this. You don’t need to recite the Knight’s Code. Every. Single. Time.” Soren ended the last word with an infuriated growl. He could never understand what Callum’s obsession with the code even was about, he wasn’t even a knight and Soren doubted he would ever become one willingly, so it made no sense.

“Actually, many historians theorized that the Old Code was originally written down by the dragons during the times of peace. It was then adopted into the knight’s code of arms after—.” Callum stopped and pouted in annoyance when he saw Soren pretending to have fallen asleep where he stood. He opened one eye then straightened himself.

“With all due respect, your highness, you really shouldn’t believe everything you read. Besides, it takes a lot more than some dusty old code to make you a real knight.”

Callum ignored him and resumed the oath. “A knight is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His words speak only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked.”

Soren noticed several of the nearby guards nodding in agreement. Prince Callum wasn’t the most intimidating of young men when it came to his outward appearance, but when he recited the old code by heart he held his head erect, as though the words magically gave him the courage to go up against even the most menacing of foes.

“Not bad. Now let’s see you apply that same attitude with the sword.” Soren said. Callum held up his fake sword and Soren easily knocked down the young prince by poking him in the chest. Unwilling to let Soren best him—again—Callum picked up his sword, gathered all of the courage he had, and swung his sword. Only for Soren to easily best him without breaking a sweat.

“Perry, Perry, you’re dead.” Soren whacked Callum on the side of his head, causing him to drop his sword. When Callum went to pick it up Soren bonked his head again. “Perry, dead.”

“Ouch!” Callum exclaimed, rubbing his head. “Really? Are you sure? Even if I was wearing armor?”

“Even if you were wearing the rarest legendary armor forged by FireWing dragon scales... supper dead. I told you, it takes a lot more than an old code to make you a fighter.”

“If I’m so terrible why am I stuck doing this anyway?”

“Because that is what’s expected of a prince. Or a step-pr—“

“A step-prince, yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it,” Callum said, narrowing his eyes in annoyance as he reached for his false sword. A sudden gust of wind blew the wooden weapon a foot away. Callum blinked, bewildered by the unforeseen blow. He picked up his sword to face Soren, only his attention was no longer on his teacher.

Soren followed Callum’s gaze to the railing of the second floor of the building behind them. Rayla stepped out into the sunlight, her platinum blond hair radiating like a shining beacon as she breathed in the fresh morning air with a serene look on her face. Callum felt his heart leap when she waved at him.

“Morning, Callum.”

“Morning, Rayla!” Both Callum and Soren greeted at the same time. The boys gave each other subtle glares. Or at least, they tried to be subtle.

“What are you boys up to?”

“I’m just teaching the step—“ Soren immediately retracted his choice of words, “Uh, the prince the art of sword fighting.”

“Really? You didn’t mention you did sword fighting too, Callum.” Rayla said with a mixture of intrigue and playfully suspicious.

“What can I say. I’m full of surprises.” Callum said, which made Rayla laugh. Soren felt the sting of envy wrapping around his insides like a hungry python then smiled maliciously when an idea formed in his mind.

“Prince Callum, why don’t we give our lovely new guest a little demonstration of what you have learned so far?”

“Uh...” Callum froze.

“Come on, one quick sparring match.” Soren insisted. “Show her what you’re made of.”

Callum knew what Soren was trying to do. For as long as he could remember, Soren never missed a chance to upstage and or humiliate Callum. _Ever_. It wasn't until he saw Rayla smiling that he suddenly felt his spirits lift.

“Okay. You're on.” Callum said with renowned confidence.

“That’s the spirit!” Soren said with obviously forced enthusiasm. “You might want to take a seat Rayla because I’m about to blow you away.”

Rayla groaned and rolled her eyes in disinterest. The boys faced each other, wooden swords at the ready. Soren attacked first and Callum, much to his own surprise, was able to block three of his strikes. Callum let out a dramatic battle cry and swung his sword at Soren’s feet, but Soren stopped him by stepping on the sword’s tip just as it swung his way.

“What was that?”

“I... I don’t know.” Callum said as he tried to yank the sword out from under Soren’s foot. “Uh, I was trying to... swipe the leg.”

“That’s not a thing in sword fighting.”

“Well, it should be,” Rayla said. Rather than take the stairs like a normal person, she jumped off from the landing and touched the ground in a five-point landing. She moved with the same effortless speed and reflexes as would a squirrel leaping off a tree.

“Sounds like it could come in handy.” Rayla walked up to Callum, nonchalant about just leaping from a high place without a second glance, and helped the prince to his feet. “Way to think outside the box, Callum.”

The prince blushed, scratching the back of his neck. “Thanks, I try.”

Rayla giggled once more, which took away a lot of the humiliating sting that came from being bested by Soren again. Rayla didn’t seem to mind though, in fact, she looked almost impressed by Callum’s attempt at trying to “sweep the leg” as he’d so appropriately named it. Sure, it failed, but it got Rayla to smile, so for Callum that was a victory in of itself. Rayla had such a beautiful smile.

The three of them heard indistinct muttering coming from nearby. The muttering came from Claudia, who was walking by while intensely reading a book in her hand and anxiously bitting a lock of her hair. She was so engrossed in her book she didn’t see the large tree in her path.

“Hey, Claudia!” Callum called out to get her attention, but all Claudia did was send him a wave without taking her eyes off of the book.

“Eh, hey Callum.”

“No, there’s a—“ Callum cut himself off when Rayla picked up the wooden sword and hurled it at Claudia. Rather than strike her, the sword flew right by Claudia’s face, causing her to finally look up from her book. The sword pierced the side of the tree. Claudia turned to everyone else and pointed at the odd display with her thumb.

“Is this new?”

“You... could say that,” Callum said, wearing a dumbfounded look on his face, equal to Soren’s. Even Rayla was surprised. She stared down at her hands in confusion.

“How did you do that?!” Soren asked in astonishment. Rayla didn’t know how to respond, her attention on the sword puncturing the side of the tree then looked down at her hands. She couldn’t tell if it was her hands shaking or her eyes. There was a surge of energy, a rush coursing through her when she threw that word. For a moment she didn’t see a tree in front of her, she saw something else. A target painted on a wall and instead of a wooden sword, she was throwing appear.

“Rayla. Hey, are you listening?” Soren’s voice was heard as a distant echo. When his hand touched her shoulder Rayla flinched, grabbed the young man’s wrist, twisted it and threw him to the ground with an aggressive grunt. Soren’s cries of pain were what snapped her back to reality.

Claudia rushed to her brother’s aid, pulling him upright by his arm. “Are you insane?” She snapped, making Rayla even more anxious. Her breathing came in short breaths yet again and she sprung out of the courtyard.

Callum called out for her but Rayla didn’t respond. She kept running, bypassing several handmaidens and stable workers until she stopped near the stables, leaning against the wooden pole near a beautiful chestnut-colored mare with a white marking that ran down from her forehead to the arc of her nose. Callum’s voice called out to her.

“Rayla! Rayla, there you are.” Callum stopped for a moment to catch his breath. “Whoa! You run really fast.” After straightening himself he noticed Rayla’s anxious breathing again. Just like before, he guided her through the exercise. “Hey, it’s okay, Rayla. Just breathe.”

Rayla slowly calmed down. Callum held one of her hands while another rested on her stomach to make sure she was breathing at a steady pace. The mare whinnied and nuzzled her cheek. The creature’s affectionate gesture calmed Rayla right down and she stroked her neck.

“That’s Chestnut. By far the only horse who doesn’t throw me off her back.” Callum said. Rayla couldn’t help but laugh at his comment. She wasn’t sure if he was being serious or just naturally funny to make her feel better. Either way, it worked.

“She’s so sweet.”

“What happened back there?”

“Promise you won’t think I’m crazy?”

“I think I’m the last person to judge anyone for being crazy.”

“When I threw that sword... I thought I saw something. I’m not entirely sure what but... I think it was a memory? Or a vision? I really don’t know it happened so fast I couldn’t keep up.”

“But, you remembered something, right?”

“I guess.” Rayla sighed, her hand sliding off of Chestnut’s neck, which disappointed the sweet mare. The soft whinnies of the horses filled the silent voice between the teenagers then a tiny bird landed on the wooden door of Chestnut’s stable. It started chirping then flew away. It was incredibly random.

“I don’t know if it’s the best time to suggest this but what if...” Callum began but then stopped.

“What?”

“Never mind. I’m probably wrong.”

“Callum, what is it? Tell me.”

“It may be a long shot but what if we went back to the place where my aunt found you?”

“Out in the woods?”

“Yeah. I mean, it was the last place you were before losing your memory, right? Maybe if you went back there it could trigger something. Jog your memory somehow.”

Rayla thought about Callum’s suggestion. It was a long shot, Rayla would admit that much, but if hurling the sword was enough to awaken her memories then maybe the same could happen if she went back there. It wouldn’t hurt to try especially after what just happened. She couldn’t stay an amnesiac forever.

When Rayla didn’t answer right away Callum started to wish he hadn’t opened his big mouth. “It’s stupid, I know.”

“No. No, I think you may be onto something. I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to try, and I’m willing to try anything. Except whatever that Claudia girl had in mind yesterday.” Rayla shuddered at the memory of ever participating in a spell that required the body parts of a goblin. “Only problem no is getting there.”

“It’s in a small clearing through the Serpent’s Pass. That’s where they found you.”

“How did you figure that out?”

“I... have my ways.”

“You eavesdrop on the guards' conversation, didn’t you?” Rayla said with an amused look on her face while she crossed her arms. She sounded more impressed than suspicious.

“Not exactly. Look, how I know isn’t important what is important is that we get there and back before anyone figures out we’re gone. We’re not exactly allowed to go beyond the castle gates without an escort and Aunt Amaya is with her troops scouting the northern region and won’t be back until sundown.”

“Well then, what are we waiting for?”

“I don’t know, what are you waiting for?” Soren said as he stepped out from behind the opening of the tables with Claudia next to him.

“Ah, shoot,” Callum muttered.

“You weren’t seriously thinking about sneaking out of the castle were you, Prince Callum?”

“I, um, well—“ Callum stuttered as Soren, tall and imposing, stood before him.

“No, he wasn’t,” Rayla said, stepping in between the two boys. “This was my idea.”

“That’s very nice of you Rayla, but you don’t have to defend him,” Soren said. “He knows he can’t leave the castle grounds and even if he did the only thing you’re going to find out there are trees and worms. You would just be wasting your time chasing a theory that may not even be true.”

An angry growl erupted from Rayla’s throat. “At least he’s trying to help me! I would rather listen to his word than those of a pompous blowhard who thinks he can get away with looking down at people! Need I remind you, Soren, that you wear the crest of Katolis on that shinny chest plate of yours, so it stands to reason that you will show the prince of Katolis the same amount of respect.”

As Rayla ranted she kept poking at Soren’s chest plate. Though she was shorter than him she was definitely strong, as she has previously proven, and managed to shove the knight back against the stable’s opening with only a few taps.

Soren held out his hand and backed away from the girl’s menacing glare. Claudia rolled her eyes at her brother but then got an idea. “Would you excuse us for a moment, please?” Claudia grabbed her brother by the ear and pulled him out of the stables. Soren yelped in pain when she let go of his ear.

“Ouch! Why did you do that?”

“I think we should go with them,” Claudia said.

“Don’t tell me you’re buying into this.”

“Soren, you saw what she did. She hurled a sword into a tree like a javelin and she threw you like a sack of potatoes.”

“So she’s super strong. I like that in a woman.”

Claudia face shook her head in frustration. “Soren, remember what dad told us? If we saw Rayla doing anything strange to let him know? I think this qualifies as strange.”

“Okay, maybe it is a little surprising but you think going along with the prince’s delusions is the best option?”

“If we want to keep up appearances then yes. Besides, technically speaking the prince is allowed to traverse beyond the castle gates so long as he is accompanied by an escort. Preferably a member of the crown guard, of which you are the captain.”

After a couple more seconds, Soren made up his mind and he and Claudia returned to the stable. “So, I’ve been thinking and maybe Prince Callum has a point.”

Callum and Rayla looked unconvinced by Soren’s sudden change of heart, but they let him continue.

“So, as castle guard captain I shall be your personal escort to the Serpent’s Toss.”

“Pass,” Callum said. “It’s Serpent’s Pass.”

“Yes, that,” Soren said. Claudia elbowed him in the stomach. “And my sister will come along to. For... extra protection. So, let’s saddle up and hit the road.”

Callum and Rayla exchanged confused looks at Soren’s suddenly peppy attitude, accompanied by Claudia’s ear to ear smile. Rayla didn’t like the idea of these two tagging along, but if she had any chance of finding some clue to her past then she would tolerate them. Just so long as they didn’t make things difficult.

(~)

Callum wasn’t the best at horseback riding. Every time he tried getting on a horse he would slip and fall before the creature took two steps. Chestnut was the only horse who was patient enough with Callum, no matter how many times he fell off of her back she would nuzzle his face and scratch his shirt with her neck to make him feel better. He also knew the basics about strapping on a saddle.

Claudia was adjusting her signature bag onto the saddle of her black stallion. Callum caught a short glimpse of a wooden object and the mage noticed the prince’s eyes on her.

“What?” Claudia asked.

“Nothing, nothing,” Callum replied, returning his attention to his horse. “It’s just we’re not going very far so you don’t have to pack a lot.”

“I was planning on heading out into the woods anyway. I needed to get more supplies for something.”

“Oh,” Callum said, unenthused. He knew what she meant by ‘supplies’ and he wasn’t too thrilled about what she was planning to find out in the woods.

“I know that face,” Claudia said, narrowing her eyes while folding her arms angrily. “It’s the Prince Judgy Face.”

Callum restrained himself from snapping at her right then and there. “Just...” he half clenched his hands then took in a deep breath before continuing, “ Just promise me you won’t let Rayla see you, okay.”

“Fine. Though maybe it wouldn’t be a problem if you stopped making such a big deal out of it.”

Callum bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying something he would regret. “Can we not start this again, please? You want to go hunting for magical creatures, be my guest. That is if you can find any.”

Claudia huffed, choosing to end the conversation right there. She looked over her shoulder, the pained and angry look on Callum’s face didn’t go unnoticed. That face brought back so many painful memories for Claudia. If she were being completely honest with herself she would say that she didn’t like keeping secrets from her friend, but she couldn’t go against her father. If she did he would be hurt, and Viren had been hurt too much in the past.

So, she did what she always did whenever she felt the two sides of her consciousness do battle with one another. Not to think about it and just do it. It would be a lot less painful.

Soren, Claudia, and Rayla had already mounted their horses, but Callum was still struggling. He positioned his foot onto the stirrup and hoisted himself up but when he tried to lift his other leg over the saddle his entire body leaned a little too far and he slipped and fell off. Soren covered his mouth but couldn’t hide his laughter. Claudia, despite her and Callum’s dispute earlier, sent a death glare in her brother’s direction then slapped him behind the head.

Rayla tried not to wince at Callum’s poor attempt at getting on the horse but she failed. Unlike Soren, she didn’t find it funny. She dismounted her own horse and helped Callum back up.

“You okay?”

“In a matter of speaking.” Callum said, “My horse riding is on par with my sword fighting, which isn’t that great.”

“It’s not so hard. Here, I’ll show you.” Rayla took Callum’s hand, making him blush, and helped him get back on Chestnut. He repeated the process, putting his foot through the stirrup, pushed himself upwards and placed his leg on the other side. He felt his body shake again and he was sure he would fall again. This time, Rayla grabbed him by the arm to help steady his posture. She rubbed the horse’s neck and Callum matched his breathing with that of the horse.

“See, you got it,” Rayla said with a satisfied grin.

“Can we get a move on, people?” Soren said, trying not to let his annoyance show. “We’re burning daylight.”

“Smooth,” Claudia said in between fake coughs.

“What was that?”

“What? I didn’t say anything, oh look a squirrel!”

The group trotted out of the castle grounds. Rayla rode side by side with Callum. When he tugged on the reigns for the horse to go forward the creature’s constant movement made him rock from side to side as though he were on an unsteady boat out at sea. Rayla reached for his elbow again, her horse moving neck and neck with his.

“You’re trying too hard for control. Don’t fight her movement, move as she does.”

“Easy for you to say. I have the grace of a nearsighted goose,” Callum said.

“Trust me.”

Callum exhaled a large amount of air he didn’t know he was keeping in his lungs and tugged the reins, making the horse move forward. He rocked side to side at first but did as Rayla told him. Not to fight the movements but to move in rhythm with the hose. It felt strange at first but once Callum relaxed, paying attention to the horse’s breathing he slowly found his grove. He kept staring at the horse’s neck which made him anxious so instead, he focused on the path ahead. Rayla was still riding close by, smiling in encouragement, and Callum took in the fresh forest air.

The winds were particularly strong today, carrying the scent of pine and mint leaves from across the forest. The leafs spun and twirled around them like dancers performing for an unplanned crowd. Before Callum knew it he was riding the horse with little issue.

“Whoa. I’m actually doing it. I’m riding a horse! I’m ridding a—Whoa!” Callum, in his excitement, leaned a little too far to the right and fell off. The horse stopped when he no longer felt his rider on his back. Callum was on the ground, his foot still stuck on the stirrup.

“Correction, you were ridding,” Soren said with a chuckle. He froze up when he saw Rayla give him the deadliest glare he had ever seen. Rayla’s eyes softened when she helped Callum back up again.

“Ignore him. You were doing great.”

“Thanks. The first time anyone’s ever said about my horse riding.”

“Oh, please. Give yourself a little credit, Your Highness,” Rayla said. Her words made Callum’s face turn fifty shades of red. He really wasn’t used to this sort of positive feedback.

Callum managed to get back on the horse on his own this time. He rocked less this time and quickly found his balance. The group galloped along the forest, Rayla keeping her horse close to Callum’s, but so far he was doing pretty good on his own.

“Huh. This is actually kind of nice.” Callum patted the horse’s neck and he whinnied happily. “You like that, don’t you Chestnut? Don’t you, sweetie?” He cooed, which the horse appeared to like. He still felt a bit uneasy and was sure he would fall off again if the horse went in full gallop, but for now, just strolling through the forest was a good start.

“Let me guess, Soren was your riding teacher too?” Rayla asked, though given her annoyed tone she already knew the answer to that.

“Teacher’ in the loose sense of the word.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right.”

Callum chuckled, “Nothing gets by you, does it?”

Rayla shrugged. “Mm. Maybe it’s a gift. Oh, or maybe I’m actually physic.”

“Really? Can you see my future, Madam Rayla?” Callum laughed when Rayla positioned her two front fingers over her forehead and hummed as though she were having a vision and spoke in a dramatically ominous voice.

“I foresee, in the very near future... a tree branch.”

“Wait, what? _Ouch!_ ”

Callum took a tree branch to the face and he almost fell over. Miraculously, he didn’t fall off this time. Callum spit the leaves out of his mouth and Rayla laughed so hard her stomach hurt.

“I did warn you! Should have listened to Madam Rayla.”

Claudia found herself giggling at Rayla’s joke. The girl had a sense of humor, she would give her that. Soren muttered grumbling nonsense to himself as he was forced to listen to the step-prince becoming chummy with Rayla.

Claudia turned her head and saw the eldest prince and amnesiac girl engrossed in their conversation, as though they were the only two people around. A small smile formed on her lips. Seeing Callum so casual and relaxed with someone that wasn’t Ezran was... quite a sight to behold. In fact, it made her insides feel all warm and fuzzy, like watching cute little bunnies bouncing together.

Claudia turned her head away from the pair and focused on the path ahead. A part of her wished she could just forget about her father’s orders and pretend everything was fine but she couldn’t risk it. She couldn’t go against her father, all he wanted was to protect Katolis. But, despite Rayla’s remarkable strength, she didn’t appear all that dangerous. Not to mention the girl had amnesia. Claudia couldn’t begin to fathom just how horrific it must be to not have any recollection of one’s family, friends or home.

She took a quick glance at her bag and tugged on the opening to hide the materials inside. Tears prickled at her eyes. She swallowed and inhaled deeply, shaking off the sadness.

 _Don’t think about it_ , she told herself. _Don’t question it_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a little horseback riding back in the day and one of the first things they taught me was to move in sync with the horse. It’s been years so apologies if my knowledge is a bit rusty.
> 
> Also, I’m Rayllum trash, yet again. Why must these two have such fantastic chemistry no matter what universe they’re in?! How is that even possible?!
> 
> Also, you may notice Callum and Claudia’s dynamic is a little different than in cannon. I have two reasons for that 1) SHUSH! It’s a spoiler so I can’t say! 2) I wanted to avoid love triangles as much as I possibly can. Nothing against them in general, they can be done right, I just personally don’t enjoy writing them.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated. God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	7. Chapter 7

The trees grew taller the further they went into the woods. Looking back they couldn’t see a trace of the village anymore, not even the smoke rising out of the chimneys.

“Keep your eyes open,” Soren said, “That beast could still be around here.”

But Rayla wasn’t frightened. Quite the opposite, actually. She was taken in by the beauty of the natural world. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw a forest. There were a lot of things she couldn’t remember, but for the first time, she was partly thankful for her amnesia as it allowed her to experience a forest as if it were for the first time all over again.

The branches rocked to the silent rhythm of the breeze and leaves were carried off by the wind, spinning and twirling like tiny dancers as they fell. Squirrels and chipmunks scattered about, grabbing their acorns to stash inside their tree-trunk homes. From above the birds sang their sweet song. Rayla watched in wonder as Callum began to whistle in tune with the birds. His voice meshed so well with the bird’s song Rayla could hardly tell the difference. One tiny bluebird landed on Callum’s shoulder and chirped something into his ear before flying away.

“This forest is so beautiful,” Rayla said, her lilac eyes widening with child-like wonder.

Soren shrugged, “Meh. You’ve seen one forest you’ve seen them all.”

“Soren’s not much of a nature lover,” Callum said, the corners of his mouth turning upwards to form a shadow of a sly grin. Rayla almost couldn’t believe this was the same shy prince she met in the throne room. The more she got to know him the more she realized that Callum carried an underline level of charisma that Rayla couldn’t help but find endearing. 

“So, why do they call it Serpent’s Pass?” Rayla asked, “Is it because the pathway looks like a snake or it’s infested _with_ snakes. Please tell me it’s the first one.” Rayla’s shoulders tensed up.

“Not a fan of snakes?” Claudia asked.

“Only if they’re poisonous.”

“It’s a little bit of both, actually.” Callum said, “Not the poison part, but in that it does kind of resemble a snake and there used to be snake-like creatures living there.”

“Used to?”

“Snake-Sprites.” Claudia said, “They’re like normal snakes but with butterfly wings.”

“Oh. That actually sounds kind of cute.” Rayla said, painting the image in her head. In theory, it sounded strange but Rayla found the mental image rather adorable.

“If by “cute” you mean “creepy”, then yes,” Soren said, earning simultaneous groans from his sister and Callum.

“So what happened to them? The snake sprites?” Rayla asked.

Callum shrugged, “Not sure. They’re normally found in Xadia. After the divide, some traces of faerie creatures were scattered throughout the human kingdoms.” Sadness flashed in Callum’s eyes, the same sadness was carried through to his voice. “But the population has been dwindling a lot in recent years.”

“That doesn’t mean there aren’t still around.” Claudia said with a cheery look on her face while waving her finger, “You just need to know where to look.” Her eyes narrowed when she saw Callum glaring at her. The way she phrased it sounded lovely, but Callum read between the lines.While he saw these magical creatures as living, breathing beings, Claudia saw them as nothing more than spell ingredients. Claudia turned her head away from the prince. Rayla looked back and forth between the two.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s no big deal,” Callum replied, trying to shrug it off but felt Rayla’s curious eyes staring back at him. “The thing is, Claudia and I don’t exactly see eye-to-eye when it comes to... _dark magic_ ,” he whispered.

“Oh. I see.”

Rayla remembered the conversation she had with King Harrow the night before, how the king tolerated his old friend Viren’s usage of dark magic but never outright condoned it. She wondered how she could ever be able to handle such a life; Stay silent while someone you care about kept doing what you know is wrong out of fear of losing said friendship? If silence was supposed to be the safer and easier choice, why did it come with far worse consequences?

“I try not to let it come between us but whenever it’s brought up we always end up arguing.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay. As I said, she’s not _that_ bad once you get to know her.”

Callum himself mentioned that Claudia had a way of growing on someone’s good graces and in a way, Rayla could see why. Claudia was a bubbly and upbeat person, which were likable traits in of themselves, but the stench of the creatures she had murdered to perform her skills stubbornly lingered on her like the odor of a dying animal left on the side of the road.

“How long have you known Claudia and Soren?”

“Since I first moved to the castle.”

“And have they always been... “Rayla hesitated, struggling to find polite words to describe the siblings.

Callum laughed, “No. Not exactly. Well, Claudia had always been... Claudia. But, believe it or not, there was a time where the three of us were pretty close.”

Rayla’s brows rose in surprise. “You’re right, I don’t believe it.”

“Before Ezran was born, were the only kids in the palace. Naturally, we hung out a lot together. Playing knights and monsters, camping out in the garden, steal jelly tarts before dinner.”

“So _that’s_ where Ezran learned it from.” Rayla teased, poking Callum’s shoulder. A nostalgic smile graced the prince’s face.

“Yeah. Until Ezran was born Soren and Claudia were the closest thing I had to real siblings.”

Rayla couldn’t believe it. While with Claudia she could kind of understand how she and Callum could he become friends at one point. They were both funny individuals with a contagious sense of humor, but Soren... boastful, patronizing blond bimbo Soren... was actually nice to Callum in the past? Judging by the fondness in Callum’s voice Rayla knew it was true, no matter how mind-boggling it sounded. Which only made their present relationship all the more disturbing. 

“What happened?”

Callum sighed. He tried to sound as nonchalant as he could, but from what Rayla gathered masking his feelings was not one of Callum’s strongest skill sets. “I don’t know. We got older and Soren was on his way to becoming a crown guard, Claudia got better at her magic and... things just changed.”

Ouch, Rayla thought to herself. She really felt that pain, like being punched in the stomach. The birds’ song had died down and the atmosphere of the forest shifted from vigorous to melancholy,reflecting Callum’s sorrow. Rayla felt a chill run up her spine and she rubbed her arms as a breeze blew in their direction, making the ends of her hair flare-up.

“It’s quite all of a sudden.” She said, “Almost like the forest is sad.”

“This forest used to be filled with life,” Callum said. “Before the war, magic flowed through the entire continent. Some say there even used to be unicorns in these woods. In winter, there would be patches of green all around, like the snow never touched it. Because of that people refused to hunt here in respect to the unicorn. But now there’s barely any of them left. You’d have to travel all the way to Xadia just to see one and no human in their right mind would dare cross the border now.”

There was an air of nostalgia and longing in Callum’s voice, as though he himself had witnessed the slow evaporation of magic from the world with his own eyes. From above, a bird on a nearby branch chirped. Rayla was almost positive that it was the same bird from the stable.

“We’re getting close,” Callum said.

“What?” Soren asked.

“The clearing, it’s just up ahead.”

Soren turned his horse and blocked Callum’s way. “Um, okay, I get that coming here was your idea but maybe leave the navigating to the experienced guide, okay.”

Callum wasn’t an aggressive person by nature, but even Soren had to admit that the prince’s angry stare could make even manticores drop dead where they stood. Rather than argue with Soren, Callum got Chestnut to go around him and he trotted off, disappearing into a line of bushes.

“Callum, get back here!” Soren shouted. Rayla tugged on her horse’s reigns and followed Callum. “Rayla, no!”

“All votes are in,” Claudia said and followed the two.

“Hey! Nobody voted!” Soren shouted as he galloped after the group. His horse leaped over a couple of bushes and wounded up in a clearing in the mid-center of the path, where Callum, Rayla, and Claudia were waiting.

“Told ya,” Callum said wearing a satisfied smug smile.

“Okay, fine. Lucky guess.”

Rayla dismounted her horse and rushed to the spot. The ground had dried up by that point but there was still subtle evidence of footprints and the outline of a human body on the hardening mud puddle. Rayla crunched down, pressing her hand over the surface, trying to see if she could find anything she may have possibly left behind. Mud and dirt stuck in between her fingernails and on her knuckles as she searched until she found something buried deep in the dirt.

Rayla quickly pulled out the item that sparkled in the sunlight. It was a necklace with a silver chain attached to a small pendant. Callum rushed over to see what Rayla had uncovered and his eyes widened.

“Asteria’s Tear,” Callum said once Rayla removed the mud from the stone’s surface.

“What?”

“Asteria’s Tear. A Star Stone. They’re named after the legend of the maiden Asteria, who’s tears became the stars.”

“Whoa! Those things are crazy rare! Not to mention expensive. Most people are lucky to find just one in their lifetime.” Claudia exclaimed, pushing in between the two and shoving Callum aside. Claudia was so fixated on the stone that she was completely ignorant of the second glare Callum gave her today.

“You’d have to be crazy rich to get one of those.” Soren said, “Or stupidly lucky.”

Rayla held the necklace to the sunlight. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry, the chain was made of the purest silver, far too pure for any mere village girl to own, and the stone certainly lived up to its name. It was a flawlessly cut amethyst stone with a reflective light in its center that formed the shape of a four-point star. Rayla turned the pendant and found words engraved on the back.

“ _To the stars._ ” Rayla read aloud. Voices whispered in her ears but she knew they didn’t belong to neither Claudia, Soren, or Callum. The voices grew louder and louder, overlapping one another until her ears were so clogged up it felt she had been completely submerged in water. Her skincold again, like she had been standing in the aggressively pouring rain for hours. Her breathing quickened. In her mind she saw herself running. Her legs felt like fire, the path ahead seemingly never-ending until she saw the night sky before her, then the ground coming at her at breakneck speed and then...

Darkness. 

Rayla screamed in pain, the bump on the back of her head burned like hot coals rubbing against her scalp. Her legs became numb and she nearly fell until she was caught by Callum. The kind prince gently sat her down on the grass. Her head was spinning and her hands were shaking.

“Rayla. Rayla, are you okay?”

The voices in her head died down, allowing her to hear him clearly. She saw Soren and Claudia watching over her with worry. This was the first time she saw either of them express genuine concern, on Soren it made him look different and for Claudia, Rayla was positive she saw a spark flicker in her eyes, like a flame before quickly being snuffed out.

“Did you remember anything?” Callum asked. His voice, filled with so much compassion and patience it soothed Rayla more than even the scent of wildflowers nearby.

“I...” Rayla breathed in and out, putting Callum’s advice into practice. “I was running... in the forest. It was cold. I tripped and then... nothing.”

Callum didn’t ask any follow-up questions, allowing Rayla to process the memories on her own. He wanted to ask more, curious about what else she saw, but he didn’t want to pressure her.

Once her breathing steadied Callum helped Rayla back to her feet. She rubbed the bump on the back of her head and winced in pain. Callum didn’t let go of her hand. After a brief silence, the group heard something rustling in the bushes. Soren readied his sword but Claudia blocked his path with an outstretched arm. Something moved amidst the greens, the trio caught a glimpse of brightly colored wings fluttering. They were prepared to shrug it off as just a cute little butterfly, until the rest of the body revealed itself. Rather than a tiny insect with multiple tiny legs and antennas, the wings were attached to an aquamarine colored field snake with scales that rippled with a rainbow sheen.

Callum and Claudia gasped at the same time. “Snake sprite!”

“I thought they had all disappeared!” Callum’s green eyes shimmered as he watched the creature’s wings move again. The snake sprite moved gracefully in the air as though it were swimming in a lake while its wings fluttered, the blue, yellow and green colors blurring together.

“Looks like it’s our lucky day,” Claudia said as she slowly made her way to the creature, immediately sending Callum into a panic.

“Oh, no. Claudia, please don’t!” Callum tried to reach out and stop her but was pulled back by Soren, not because he wanted his sister to grab the creature but because he didn’t want the two of them to start fighting again. He did the same with Rayla, who looked just about ready to jump and tackle the mage to the ground.

Claudia pulled out an empty vial from her shoulder bag and recited a chilling incantation. The words made both Callum and Rayla shiver as though they were standing in the middle of a blizzard and for a brief moment their pupils shrunk in fright.

Soren upheld a neutral expression. He used to be terrified whenever Claudia or Viren performed their spells, especially when their eyes glowed purple before turning completely black. He had long since grown accustomed to it but Callum still looked like a petrified little chipmunk about to be devoured by a wolf every time it happened. Unlike Soren, Callum just didn’t have the will-power to stomach such a sight. But Rayla, Soren was admittedly surprised to notice that her reaction near mirrored Callum’s.

Claudia’s eyes glowed a malevolent purple and the liquid from the vile transformed into a thick dark cloud that reached out like a living claw and snatched the snake-sprite in a matter of seconds.

“No!” Callum shouted in horror. Rayla was too petrified to speak.

The smoke clouds solidified and became a spear-like cage made out of jagged black rocks. The snake sprite was just as the name implied, a beautiful legless reptile with shimmering scales that reflected a rainbow sheen and vibrantly colored butterfly wings with unique patterns that resembled flowers and vines. On its head was a shell-like arch resembling the shell of a jewel-battle which ran down across its back. It fluttered around the cage and hissed at Claudia, who’s eyes became pitch-black before reverting back to normal. She grabbed the spear in her hand, smiling triumphantly.

“Gotcha!”

“Claudia, what are you doing?” Rayla finally broke free of Soren’s grip and stood before the mage with rage fueling her insides. Callum found the feeling in his legs and hands again.

“I know this looks bad but I really need this thing for—“

“ _Thing?_ Is that what she is to you? Just a ‘thing’?”

“It’s just a snake sprite.”

“Possibly the last one in this entire forest and you’re going to use her for your stupid spell?”

While the girls were arguing Callum felt something land on his head and looked up to the free beside him. “Um, guys,”

“My spell is not stupid!” Claudia said defensively.

“You’re right, it’s not stupid. It’s outright homicide! That’s all black magic is. _Death!_ ”

“Guys,” Callum spoke again, but the girls were too preoccupied in their argument to hear him.

“What do you know about magic?” Claudia exclaimed.

“I know that it’s the reason why there’s war in the first place.”

“If you’re such an animal activist then I guess you want people to stop hunting for food now too?”

“That’s not the same thing,” Rayla said.

“Isn’t it?”

“No. It really isn’t. There’s survival and then there’s greed. If you take more than what you need from nature humans also suffer.” Rayla outstretched her arms, showcasing the entire forest, “Look around you. Haven’t you noticed that the pickings are rather slim these days? All because of your dark magic.”

“Guys,” Callum called out again.

“Dark magic was what freed us from the dragons' oppression!” said Claudia

“They weren’t oppressing, they tried to teach humans their way of magic,” said Rayla.

“Oh, please, do you really believe that?”

“Guys, hello!” Callum called out again the turned to Soren, “Aren’t you going to stop them?”

“Unless they start hitting each other best to stay out of a cat-fight,” Soren said, a droplet of sweat dripping from his brow. Callum rolled his eyes and facepalmed. Soren was hopeless.

“And why not?” Rayla snapped back, “Is it so wrong to believe that there can be another way of doing things that don’t result in needless killing?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to someone who can’t even remember her own mother!”

Rayla paused, a mixture of hurt and unquenched raged flashed in her eyes which made Claudia immediately reel back in regret. Callum and Soren were equally shocked, though Callum looked outright insulted. What Claudia said was a low blow, even for her.

“Let. Her go. _Now_.” Rayla demanded in a deep and chilling voice that almost made Claudia obey. Almost.

“Are you ordering me?”

Fed up with all of this, Callum pressed his fingers into his mouth and whistled loudly. “ _Hey!_ ”

“ _What?!_ ” Both girls shouted at the prince.

“ _Look!_ ” Callum pointed to the tree where tiny white and grey stones attached to the side of the tree in between the branches like moss, but the stones shimmered like the surface of an opal.

“What are those?” Soren asked.

“Eggs.” Callum said, “Snake sprite eggs, and judging by the color pallets they’re about to hatch.”

The snake sprite fluttered aggressively inside its prison, hissing and trying to break free to reach her children. Claudia looked up to meet Rayla’s stern glare. The mage felt her body freeze up. Rayla was shorter than her by maybe a couple feet, but even so, the platinum-blond haired girl with skin so flawless it could make any woman go mad with envy, held a gaze that compelled her to stop and listen.

Callum stepped in, standing next to Rayla, “Claudia, snake sprite eggs need the body heat of their mother in order to hatch. If they don’t they’ll harden and die.”

“How do you know so much about snake sprites?” Soren asked.

“I like to read.”

“I know that, Callum,” Claudia said, holding the spear cage close even while the mother snake sprite was hissing pleadingly to be set free. From the looks of it, the hardening process was already starting to take effect.

“If you know this, then are you really willing to separate a mother from her children?” Rayla said, no longer raising her voice like before. Her anger was still there but it was overlapped with a pleading hope that Claudia would reconsider. The mage looked at the snake, hissing sadly and staring at Claudia with dark eyes, its tiny fork tongue sticking out and hissing as though she were trying to plead for her freedom.

Mother... children... separated... those words worked like an incantation inside Claudia’s mind. Something tugged at her heart, a memory she wished she could forget. Staring at the snake sprite, and then at Rayla, only made it worse.

 _Don’t think about it_ , she told herself. _Don’t question it_. But she did question and the looks she revived from both Callum and Rayla weren’t helping. The snake sprite hissed sadly, which only cemented Claudia’s decision. She was going to regret this later, she was sure of it.

She placed the spear on the ground and Rayla quickly grabbed a nearby rock and smashed the cage, freeing the mother.

The snake sprite flew up, spinning about then coiled itself around her eggs. The group watched as the eggs began to glow brightly, rainbow colors rippling over the shells and on the scales of the mother. One by one the eggs began to crack. Out from the eggs popped the head of a tiny snake, followed by another and another. They slithered out of their shells, wings curled up against their bodies and as they emerged bright yellow spores floated out like fireflies in the middle of the day.

Callum and Rayla watched in wonder as the tiny spores floated over their hands, landing and attaching to their cloths like tiny dust bunnies. The little winged snakes uncurled heir wings and flew for the first time. Their mother kept her body wrapped around the eggs until they all hatched.

One of the spores landed on Soren’s nose and he sneezed. Claudia kept her arms crossed, slightly pouting in disappointment but even with the loss of her ingredient she couldn’t deny that this sight was indeed beautiful. The snake sprites each came in different colors with wings that varied from pattern to pattern, making them distinct from one another. The little babies nuzzled against their mother and the mage’s heart felt heavy.

One of the first snake sprites to emerge was of an emerald green color with a yellow underbelly, but its wings were purple, green and yellow with shades of blue. It moved almost like a moth, as though it couldn’t decide in which direction to go. Its mother lifted her child up by her tail and the little one found her balance. She fluttered in the air, curiously staring at Callum, Rayla, and Soren before finally reaching Claudia.

The little creature lost its balance again and would have fallen had Claudia not caught her in time. Rayla and Callum watched with worried anticipation when they saw Claudia holding the tiny snake sprite. The little creature slithered around Claudia’s hands, its wings fluttering as it stared back at her. The baby snake sprite tilted its head and Claudia mimicked its curious movements. It kept lowering and raising its head like a mole popping in and out of its hole. Claudia laughed at the little one’s antics. Bits of the yellow spores floated around her and the little snake snatched a couple into its mouth.

Rayla and Callum relaxed, confident that Claudia wasn’t going to harm the baby snake sprite. From the looks of it, the little creature won her over in an instant. Claudia rose a tentative finger to pet its tiny head. To her surprise, the baby reached out caressed its head against her finger and Claudia’s heart was moved.

Claudia never interacted with faerie animals before. Half the time they were already dead or at the very least half alive, and she just squashed them before she could mentally process the reality that she was basically squeezing the magic out of a living creature. Something she, as a child, was against at the start until her father taught her how to develop a hardened skin.

The little snake sprite fluttered its wings and flew closer to Claudia’s face, pressing its tiny head against her forehead, its body forming the one half of a heart. Claudia was at a loss for words, she couldn’t understand what this little creature was doing. It was almost as if it was trying to send her a message somehow. The snake sprite landed on her hand again and Claudia saw the intelligence in her tiny black eyes.

After a few more seconds the snake sprite rejoined her brothers and sisters, all curling up against their mother, who nuzzled the tiny emerald green snake.

“Well, there goes my last ingredient,” Claudia said, dropping her hands to her side.

Rayla sighed in disappointment. “If you really have to finish your spell can’t you find something else?”

“No. The spell requires the essence of a snake sprite unless it won’t work.”

“It’s just one spell, Claudia,” Callum said.

“It’s not just—!” Claudia stopped herself, “You know what, never mind.”

“What are you doing?” Soren asked, seeing his sister angrily mounting her horse which spoked the stallion. “Clauds, wait!”

In her rush to get back to Katolis, and not wanting to explain herself any further, her bag became loose and fell to the ground. The sound of hardwood, gears, and metal frightened her horse and the snake sprites all hurried into the trees for safety. The tiny green snake from before poked its head when it heard Claudia scream. The bag revealed the broken remains of what appeared to be a music box. A single musical note was heard before it stopped. Soren kneeled beside the remains and looked up at his sister.

“Is this...?”

With tears in her eyes, Claudia hurriedly stuffed the broken pieces into the bag as best she could and rode off. She heard her brother calling out her name but she kept ongoing. The little snake sprite hissed sadly as it watched Claudia leave.

“What was that?” Callum asked, picking up a tiny metal spring that was left behind.

“Our mother’s music box,” Soren said. Rayla had never heard the young guard sound so sad before. “She gave it to her before our parents split up.”

Callum’s eyes widened in realization. “ _That’s_ why she needed the snake sprite.”

“What do you mean?” Rayla asked.

“She needed it for a spell to fix the music box.”

“Yep. That sounds like Claudia, alright.” Soren said, but there was not a hint of dry sarcasm or humor in either his tone or in his posture. The overconfident guard Rayla had met on her first day in Katolis had finally removed his mask to reveal his true vulnerability. When Claudia cried Rayla felt the sting in her own heart as well. All she really wanted was to fix her mother’s music box. Why she didn’t just explain herself the first time Rayla didn’t understand. Or perhaps, Claudia was too afraid to say it.

These people were so complicated.

“I...I didn’t know.”

“Come on, we should head back.” Soren handed Rayla and Callum the reigns of their respected horses. But before they left, more of the yellow spores landed on her nose and hair.

(~)

Maybe running off and leaving the others in the forest wasn’t the wisest idea, but Claudia was too upset to think straight. All she wanted was to fix her mother’s music box and Rayla just had to make things difficult. It was bad enough that Callum, someone she had known for years and loved like a younger brother, always gave her a hard time when it came to dark magic and now his new girlfriend was doing the exact same thing.

She just couldn’t understand what the big deal was. Dark magic gave her talents nothing else could, and the surge of power, whenever she absorbed the magic of a Xadian creature was always a thrill to experience. Yes, it made her sick when she first tried it but her father taught her how to master it. Besides, all she wanted to use one snake sprite to fix something that meant a lot to her. How could that be wrong?

Claudia’s room doubled as a tiny laboratory, with potion bottles and spell books pilling up the shelves. Skulls of magical creatures, bones, teeth and fleshed remain stuffed into jars which, even in her own opinion, smelled horrible, something she was reminded of every time she re-entered her room but she eventually got to used to it. At least, that’s what she always told herself. She opened her cabinet to try and find something that could fix her music box, but she was met with the depressing image of nearly empty stock. Her supply of chimera fangs and griffin eyeballs were running low and she only had the tiniest chip of a unicorn horn which wouldn’t be enough. She had already used an ogre’s tongue and she was all out of mermaid tears. She hated to admit it but Callum was right, the magical creatures she and Viren used for their spells were diminishing, slowly dying out and or returning to their homeland of Xadia.

_You’re going to use her for your stupid spell?_

_If you take more than what you need from nature humans also suffer._

_Haven’t you noticed the pickings are rather slim these days?_

Claudia slammed the cabinet doors in frustration, possibly causing one or two jars to fall. Her father was right, this Rayla girl was nothing but trouble. Maybe she wasn’t an assassin or a criminal, but she definitely was insufferable. Claudia didn’t care if she was sweet with Ezran and made Callum laugh in a way she hadn’t seen in years which, admittedly, was really adorable, no! The girl spoke out of terms to her father and insulted her magic. She had every reason to dislike her.

Claudia sighed, flopping on her bed. The one thing in her room that still had a shred of remaining life was the flowers in a vase next to her window. Her mother always loved plants, tear-drop flowers especially. Flowers with petals that took on the shape of teardrops. Her flowers were slowly dying out. Claudia poured water into the soil but she doubted it would be of much help. The memory of her mother stirred her towards the memory of the snake sprite and her offsprings.

She was a mother also. A mother who wanted to return to her children and Claudia was ready to use her for a spell without a second thought. If she had gone through with it then that entire family would have died. Would that have been such a bad thing? She would have killed the next generation of snake sprites in the forest but at least she would have her music box. So, she would gain something while the babies and their mother lost both of their lives.

What was she thinking? They were just animals, what did it matter? They had magic and mages like herself and Viren used their magic in order to—

_One way or another they will die out..._

_Your magic ceases to exist..._

Great, now Rayla was in her head too! Claudia was so frustrated she wanted to curl into bed and sleep, even though it was still daylight. She heard a knock and begrudgingly got out of bed to answer. She opened the door a creak. There was nobody there. At her doorstep were a silver spring and a vial of a bright yellow substance. Claudia picked up the two items, the spring was a pice from the music box she hadn’t realized was missing, and the vial... looking at the liquid she recognized the substance.

The mage’s heart pounded with elation. This vial contained the essence of the snake sprites! But, that didn’t make any sense. After the big deal, Rayla made about letting the snake sprites live why would she—?

Whatever, Claudia had the final ingredient that’s what mattered.

She gathered the remains of her music box, poured all of the ingredients into a wooden bowl, added the snake sprite essence and was about to recite the incantation. However, to her surprise, the liquid did not glow in the purple color she had expected, but instead, it was yellow. Claudia didn’t even need to complete her incantation because the batch was already finished. The potion radiated with an energy that Claudia had never experienced before. Ordinarily, her spells didn’t really give off anything, no energy or smell but this time... the potion smelled like a springtime morning. It was so vivid that Claudia could see the flower buds opening as they were bathed in the first ray of sunlight.

She snapped herself back to reality and poured the potion onto the music box. What else did she have to lose? The potion seeped into the broken pieces of the music box which then floated above the table, engulfing Claudia’s room in pure white light. The mage shielded herself until the intensity died down when it did she saw that her music box had been fully restored to its original glory. Even the old wood looked brand new. Claudia turned the key and music filled the room. It worked, the spell actually worked! But, why was it different? She didn’t feel the same surge of power as she normally did and the smell and that light...

What did Rayla do?

(~)

After Callum and Rayla returned to the castle they joined Ezran for his ‘jelly tart brunch’ to fill him in on what happened. Ezran was a bit upset that he couldn’t come, but he was exploring the castle tunnels again trying to prepare shad brunch for Rayla as a surprise.

Rayla had cleaned up the necklace they found and showed it to Ezran. The young prince admired the way the chain and the stone glistened in the light. Callum had told Ezran the story of Asteria when he was younger, so one could imagine Ezran’s excitement to be holding in his hands the stone which was said to be created by the lady’s tears and fell to the earth, becoming these beautiful gemstones people sought to search for many years.

“So, what does it mean?” Ezran asked as he handed Rayla back the necklace.

“I wish I knew. Either whoever gave it to me was super-rich, or I stole it from somebody.” Rayla said, pulling up one of her legs and holding it close to her chest.

“Come on, you don’t really believe that, do you?” Callum said. Granted, he was just as much in the dark about Rayla’s past as she was, but she didn’t strike him as a criminal.

“It would explain why I was out in the forest in the dead of night during a rainstorm. I was probably on the run.”

“Or maybe you were running away because your supper rich family tried to marry you off to some cranky old guy who smells like fish,” Ezran suggested while squishing his cheeks together with his hands, giving the impression of a fish. The young prince’s funny face was enough to make Rayla laugh.

“If that’s true suddenly the criminal theory doesn't sound so bad.”

“Rayla, there could be a number of reasons why you were out there,” Callum said.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s because you’re a criminal.”

“We don’t know for sure that I’m not.”

“True. But we don’t know for sure if you are one either.”

“Fair point.”

“I don’t think you’re a criminal either, Rayla.” Ezran said, “And even if you were, which I doubt is possible, I’ll still be your friend no matter what.”

“Me too.” Callum said, which made Rayla blush, “Besides, this necklace could be the key to figuring out where you came from. Who your parents are.”

At the mention of the word ‘parents’, Rayla felt her spirits rise. However, the necklace got into her possession had to be the missing piece they needed to unravel the mystery of her past.

“Whatever happens, we’re here for you.”

Hearing this from Callum helped her relax a bit. “Thank you. You know, in spite of everything, meeting you two has definitely been the highlight from getting hit on the head.”

The princes jerked up in shocked surprise. “That’s the weirdest, nicest thing anyone has ever said to us,” Ezran said.

“And a little concerning,” Callum said.

“But funny, though,” Rayla said with a chuckle.

“Funny _and_ concerning.”

“Rayla!”

The trio jumped in fright when they heard Claudia call out to them from across the quad. Bait hid behind Ezran as the mage girl made her way towards them. Callum quickly stood up from his chair and stood up to block Rayla and Ezran from Claudia.

“Claudia, I know you’re upset but if you would—“

“I’m not here to argue I just want to talk with Rayla for a bit.”

“Uh, I don’t know if—“

“It’s okay, Callum.” Rayla gently pulled the prince back when she stood up and nodded to Claudia, meaning she was willing to speak with her. Callum, Ezran, and Bait watched anxiously as the two girls spoke face to face.

“Claudia, before you say anything, I wanted to say I’m sorry I—“ before Rayla could continue, Claudia, revealed to her the music box. Rayla gasped happily, her hands reaching up to her mouth, feeling she would burst. “Oh my gosh, it worked! You fixed it!”

“Yeah, I did.” Claudia said, still stunned from what happened earlier with the spell. “But I don’t understand. You made such a big deal about letting the snake sprite live, where did you get a vial of its essence?”

“I... I didn’t.” Rayla said, surprising Claudia.

“What?”

“It wasn’t the snake sprite, exactly. It was the spores from the eggshells. Callum said that they contained small bits of their skin from before they hatched so I thought it could work as a humane substitute. I wasn’t really sure it would work but I wanted to try to make it up to you.” Rayla let out a relief and happy laugh, “But, it worked.”

Claudia looked at her music box, perplexed. “Yeah. It did. I guess my spell book is a bit outdated.” Claudia left out the details about the spell like the bright light, the pleasant smell and the lack of an incantation. This was such a jarring discovery.

“Yeah. Probably.” Rayla said, awkwardly rubbing her arm. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me the reason you needed the snake sprite?” Rayla asked.

“Would you have understood?”

“That you wanted to fix something that belonged to your mother? Yeah, I’m pretty sure I would have.” Rayla clenched the necklace that was secured in her pocket. “Look, I don’t agree with dark magic, _at all_ , but just because I can’t remember my own mother doesn’t mean I want you to lose something of yours.”

Claudia was stunned. She didn’t speak much of her mother to anyone, not even to Callum or Ezran, and yet this girl, despite her misgivings on dark magic, still found a way to work around it so that Claudia could have her music box again. Even if she wasn’t sure it would work she still tried, and after the way, Claudia had spoken to her before.

“I am so sorry about what I said.” Claudia apologized.

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. It was insensitive and I never should have taken my frustrations out on you.”

“To be fair, I should have at least asked why you needed the snake sprite.”

“And maybe I really should have explained myself a little better.” Claudia smiled shyly while holding her thumb and index finger close together. Rayla chuckled. She could read the back and forth battle all over the mage’s face.

Something about these people that Rayla found fascinating was that their mannerisms, no matter how subtle, never failed to expose them. She could pick up almost everything they did, and when she looked into their eyes she could see traces of something more than what the outside would reveal.

For Claudia, Rayla saw someone who did not wish to inflict harm on anyone, but at the same time turned a blind eye towards a reality she was too afraid to confront even when it was right in front of her. It was like two conflicting forms battling for a single space and Claudia didn’t know who to choose as the victor or whether or not she was even aware of this internalized conflict.

“So, are we okay?” Rayla asked hopefully.

“Yeah. Yeah, we’re okay.”

“Oh, good.” Rayla sighed with relief. She wasn’t anticipating for her and Claudia to become instant friends but she really didn’t want there to be bad blood between them. She already got enough of the skunk eye from Viren, she didn’t want to be on bad terms with his daughter as well who, in all honesty, wasn’t all that bad.

What Rayla didn’t expect was for Claudia to hug her. The mage gave the girl a tight squeeze and she felt a sob escape Claudia’s throat. Claudia wiped an invisible tear from her eye and cleared her throat.

“Well, I’m just gonna... get back to studying some... stuff. Thanks again.” Claudia gave Rayla a small wave and walked away. Rayla waved back just as Callum and Ezran joined her, both staring at Claudia in shock. Even the usually grumpy-looking Bait was surprised. Rayla laughed at their dumbfounded expressions.

“You were right, Callum. She kind of does grow on ya.”

“See. There is no way that you’re a criminal.” Callum said, smiling as though he had just won a prize. Rayla couldn’t resist laughing good-heartedly, seeing the prince so confident in this statement. Yep, meeting these guys was definitely the silver lining in all of this.

(~)

Claudia stayed up late that night. She couldn’t stop thinking about the spell. She read the instructions on the pages over and over again until she was sick of it. To restore what once was lost a mage would require the essence of a snake sprite, for their earth-elemental based magic was essential to recreate a broken item. Earth elemental creatures were strongly associated with rebirth and growth, so the magic inside their bodies proved to be extremely powerful. And yet, with just a tiny vial of newborn snake sprite scales stuck to tiny little yellow spores, the spell worked just as well if it had used the whole creature.

What would her father think if he found out about this? Should she tell him? If he knew what Rayla did would he want Claudia to keep an closer eye on her? Rayla wasn’t even sure it would work, it was just a lucky guess. A lucky guess which opened a brand new door Claudia didn’t think was possible.

Maybe there was something to Callum’s ramblings about the old age of dragons and mages. No, there had to be another explanation. She was hesitant to ask Rayla, what did she know? What was she hiding?

The mage yawned. Best save those questions for tomorrow. She closed her book and turned the key on her music box, letting the soothing music to drift her off to sleep. While she slept, the snake sprites from before entered through the small opening on her window. The little green one who took a liking to Claudia noticed the wilted moon drop flowers. Its scales and wings glowed as tiny bits of magical pollen landed on the petals, returning their natural vibrancy sheen.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note: The stone on Rayla’s necklace is based on real Asterism gemstones.
> 
> I know some of you may be thinking so I’m going to go on record and say that no, Claudia hasn’t had an “Oh my gosh, dark magic really is bad!” Moment, this is more of an “Whoa, this is so bizarre, what could it mean?” Moment, and from what I’ve seen, Claudia is a curious and pragmatic person.
> 
> Until next time, God bless *kiss, kiss*


	8. Chapter 8

After Amaya and Gren returned later that afternoon, Rayla and the princes burst into the throne room. To Rayla’s chagrin, Viren was also present. She froze and her posture stiffened when his gray eyes met hers. They were so unnaturally pale as if the color had been bleached out of them. 

“Didn’t anyone teach you, children, not to barge in unannounced?” Viren scold. 

“I’m sorry for the intrusion, your majesty,” Rayla said, looking past Viren and directly at Harrow. “But we found something.” she opened her palm to reveal the pendant.

“Where did you find this?” Harrow asked as he held the necklace. He had seen his fair share of priceless rocks worn by many noblewomen in the past, but very few owned a stone as rare as this one.

“In the forest where Amaya found Rayla,” Callum said. The prince flinched when Viren’s disciplinary tone boomed inside the throne room.

“You left the castle grounds!”

“We were with an escort,” Rayla stated firmly while outstretching her arm to keep him from getting too close to the boys. Viren rose a brow at the girl’s instinctive reaction.

“Relax, Viren,” Harrow said, making Viren jolt.

“But, Sire.”

“They were with an escort, technically they didn’t break any rules.”

Viren rolled his eyes. The only good news was that Soren was with them, which meant he was doing exactly what Viren told him to do.

Harrow turned the pendant around and read the inscription on the back. “This is quite the find. I haven’t seen a stone like this in ages.”

“Do you think this could help in locating family?” Rayla asked, trying to keep her hopefulness in check. It was a lot of faith to put into one tiny necklace, but it was all she had right now.

“I’m not entirely sure, but it’s a small lead but it’s something nonetheless.” Harrow smiled in an attempt to lift Rayla’s spirits as she had done for him. “One thing I can say for sure, whoever gave this to you had to be very wealthy.”

“ _Perhaps we would have better luck at this year’s trader’s exchange downtown_.” Amaya signed while Gren, once again, translated.

“What’s that?” Rayla asked.

“The Trader’s Exchange Market.” Callum explained, “It’s the hot spot for merchants, blacksmiths, artists, basically, anyone looking to sell their wares for a hefty price. Swords, pottery, tapestries—“

“Jewelry?” Rayla added.

“Exactly.”

“If there’s any place where you can find a necklace almost as fine as this then it’s a good starting point,” Gren explained.

“ _We shall head out first thing in the morning._ ” Amaya signed.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Rayla said, nervously curling her fingers, “If it’s alright with you, I would like to accompany you tomorrow.” Amaya and Gren exchanged surprised looks which made Rayla want to sink deep into the floor. “I think, maybe, if I came with you I could recognize someone or they could recognize me, or... it sounds stupid, doesn’t it?”

“ _Thinking proactively, I like that._ ” Amaya signed while beaming, her dark brown eyes sparkling.

“Can we come too?” Ezran said excitedly, tugging on Rayla’s hand. “We can help. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.—Hmph!” Ezran was silenced when Callum covered his mouth. The older prince chuckled nervously.

“That’s up to your aunt,” Harrow said.

“ _I was in need of a few extra brave men anyway._ ” Amaya signed.

“You hear that, Callum,” Ezran said once he removed his brother’s hand from his mouth. “We’re men now.”

“Men who still have a bedtime,” Harrow said, and Ezran groaned in disappointment, his face nearly matching Bait’s constant grumpy expression.

“ _We leave after breakfast_.” Amaya sighed, “ _Get some rest, kids._ ”

“Thank you! Thank you, General Amaya. Thank you, King Harrow. Thank you.” Rayla bowed a couple of times to both of them and she and the princes left the throne room. Viren’s icy stare followed Rayla’s platinum locks until the doors closed behind her, his sharp gaze then switched to the pendant Amaya held in her hand.

(~)

Once they were in the corridor Rayla exhaled a breath she hadn’t realize she was holding in.

“You okay?” Callum asked, hand reaching out in concern.

“Yeah. I was just a little nervous.”

“You’ve got nothing to be nervous about. They adore you.”

Rayla tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, feeling the heat of blush fishing from her collar bone to her face. “Not all of them. I’m still under the impression Lord Viren wants to see my head on a spike.”

“I think Lord Viren’s still just a little angry about last night. He doesn’t like it when other people talk back to him.”

“Clearly.” Rayla rolled her eyes. Sounded like that man had an ego far too big for this castle alone.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning engulfed the room in a blinding light, followed by the roar of lightning. Bait glowed a sickly green and hid behind Callum’s legs while Ezran held onto Rayla, hugging her waist. She rubbed his back.

“It’s okay, Ezran. It’s just lightning.”

The rain started to pour, the droplets hitting the window like tiny thieves fighting to get inside.

“And rain,” Callum said.

Rayla’s face crinkled in disgust at the sight of the raindrops. Like tiny frozen knives waiting to pierce her skin. She couldn’t explain why but the idea of getting wet made her shiver.

“Come on, let’s get you into bed, your highness. Don’t want to be tired for your valiant quest tomorrow.” Rayla said teasingly while ruffling Ezran’s hair.

“I don’t get why I still need a bedtime. I’m almost eleven.”

“If it helps, I used to have a bedtime until I was twelve,” Callum said.

“That doesn’t help,” Ezran said.

“It actually sounds kind of sad,” Rayla said.

“Yeah, I probably should have kept that to myself.”

The trio laughed until they reached their respected rooms to retire for the night.

(~)

Rayla read a few pages from the book Ezran gave her. The story of the heroine and how she saved her beloved. She read her name over and over again.

Rayla. Rayla. Rayla.

She thought, if she said it enough times, then it would somehow magically become her real name. She wondered what her real name would sound like. Did it start with an R as well or a different letter? More questions flooded her mind.

Where did that necklace come from?

Was it stolen or gifted to her?

Did it belong to a wealthy family?

 _Her_ family?

In all honesty, she didn’t care if her family was rich or not. All she hoped for was that they were searching for her too. Praying for her to come home.

Another thought invaded her mind. One she feared the most.

What if she didn’t have a family?

What if she was an orphan? Her parents either dead of abandoned her altogether.

What if the necklace wasn’t a gift? What if she stole it?

Rayla pushed those painful questions back with thoughts of the princes. They swore that, no matter what, they would not stop being her friends. She couldn’t remember what it felt like to have friends. If it felt anything like this then, once again, there was a silver lining to her amnesia. She was experiencing friendship for the first time all over again, and if she never had before, then even better. Her first real friends. She hoped they couldn’t come to regret it later on.

Maybe Callum was right and she was just being paranoid. There could be a number of reasons as to why she was out in the woods that night. This necklace was the only lead she had. Who knows, maybe it was a lucky necklace and from here on out her luck would improve.

She hoped. Right now, hope was all she had. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She had Callum and Ezran, and King Harrow, and General Amaya all of which made her feel welcomed.

Especially Callum.

His adorable smile, his kind eyes that lit up whenever he talked of dragons and faeries. His wry sense of humor that never failed to get a chuckle out of her. He was sweet and down-to-earth, fun to talk to, generous and thoughtful.

Before her mind could wander any further she threw a pillow at her face to snap herself back to reality. No, now was not the time to be fantasying about the prince. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel that there was something different about Callum, and it has nothing to do with him being the king’s step-son. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but all she knew was that he was... special, somehow.

Or maybe she was letting her cliche girly fantasies get the best of her. She groaned in embarrassment against her pillow, yet she was giddy all over.

(~)

Callum did some nighttime sketching to help him relax. Ezran was already sound asleep, curled up with Bait in his arms. Callum smiled seeing his little brother so peaceful. He wondered what the little troublemaker was dreaming about. Probably about a magical hippo that was made of taffy. It wouldn’t be the first time.

The rain came down softly. The droplets sparkled like diamonds in the candlelight and the strings of lighting created shadows in his bedroom with every flash. Callum made sure to close the blinds of Ezran’s window so it wouldn’t disturb him.

Callum stopped sketching to watch the lighting strikes perform their frightening yet mesmerizing dance. They enthralled Callum the same way they did the night Rayla was brought to the castle. He felt almost guilty for enjoying something that scared his little brother. Ezran seemed to be doing okay for now so Callum took this opportunity to enjoy the show.

When he was little, before he became royalty, whenever there was a storm Callum would jump out of his bed and clap every time he heard the lighting clash and thunder roar like a starving lion. His mother had to literally drag him to bed by force. In his mind, Callum could see the sylphs dancing above the clouds, unleashing the lightning strikes from their wings and hands, bending the light to create the most eye-catching shapes. 

The prince stood in the center of his room, the lightning flashed again and he took his stance. The lighting worked like musical beats, with every strike Callum moved his feet to an invisible pattern.

When it came to dancing, Callum was a clumsy oaf with two left feet, but when he was alone, like right now, he could move as effortlessly as a breeze phasing through the trees. Away from prying eyes, he was free.

When a really big flash came, followed by a thunderous roar, Ezran snapped awake, shaking in his bedsheets. Bait too was spooked, according to his green glow.

Callum stopped his dancing, nearly tripping over himself, and rushed to Ezran’s side. “Hey, Ez, it’s okay. It’s okay, I’m here.” Embarrassed, Ezran hid under the sheets. Callum gently tugged on the blanket. “I know you’re there.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ezran said. Callum could hear the little prince pouting from underneath the blanket.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of people are scared of lightning.”

“It’s not just the lightning I’m scared of.”

“It’s not?”

“No. It’s the thunder. It sounds a lot like...”

“Like what?”

Ezran poked his head from under his blanket and looked up at his brother with sad eyes. “Like a dragon.”

Callum’s face fell. “Oh.”

“It’s not that I don’t like dragons, but everyone else keeps talking about how they’re these big and scary monsters and how mom...” Ezran didn’t want to finish that thought. He didn’t want to hurt Callum’s feelings.

“You want to know a secret?” Callum began, “When I was little, before mom and I moved into the castle, I used to have nightmares about a dragon storming into the house and eating us in our sleep. So, to calm me down, Mom told me stories about Xadia.”

“The same stories you tell me?”

“Yep. But you want to know which one was my favorite?”

“I already know, Callum. The story about the prophecy. The DragonHeart.”

“Not exactly. It was the story about how a human fell in love with a faerie.”

Ezran tilted his head in surprise. “Really? I’ve never heard that one before.”

“Well, it’s a pretty mushy story so I wanted to wait until you were old enough.”

“Why? Is there a lot of kissing in it?” Ezran crinkled his nose in disgust.

“Make fun now, one day you may not mind it so much.”

“So what happened? How did the human and faerie meet?”

“They met after the faerie saved the human from an angry Minotaur. She was knocked out so the faerie carried her home. She didn’t see her rescuer’s face but he left behind a trail of flower petals on her windowsill. Every night she would leave a bowl of freshly picked berries and juice by the window until she finally caught sight of him. He was scared that if she knew what he was she wouldn’t like him. But he was wrong. The two became friends almost instantly and in time they fell in love, and one day that love created something amazing.”

“What was it?”

Callum laughed, running his hand through his hair at the memory of the first time he heard that story. “I don’t know. She never told me that part. I guess she wanted to keep up the mystery.” That was what Callum wanted Ezran to believe, but now that he was older Callum had long since put together what it was his mother tried to keep from his innocent mind at the time. He made sure to keep that tradition alive with Ezran. He would understand once he was older.

Callum continued, “But she did mention a song the faerie uses to sing. Mom used to sing it to me whenever I got scared.”

“Do you know the song?” Ezran asked. Callum nodded. “Can you sing it? Just until I fall asleep.”

Callum chuckled, “Okay. Cuddle close, scooch in. You too, Bait.” Ezran snuggled beside his brother with Bait nestled in the young prince’s lap. Unlike Callum, Ezran had no memories of their mother. Her untimely death happened when he was still a baby, so he made sure to share as much about their mother as he could. Callum opened his mouth and sang his mother’s song for the first time in so many years. He still remembered the words.

_It's calling through the dark_

_It's reeling in my heart_

_The sound of the pipes on the wind_

_The strains of the song_

_Carry me along_

_Sending me dancing again_

_From above and below_

_A sound soft and low_

_And the music's flowing through me like before_

_And the song that we once knew_

_Brings me back to you_

_Pipes play within me once more_

_Your songs are in my heart_

_They light the dark_

_So come give me your hand_

_Now and we'll dance tonight_

_In the blazing light_

_And the years will fade away_

_Fade as you play_

_Play through the dark_

_Play in my heart_

Callum didn’t get a chance to reach the second verse because Ezran had already fallen asleep. The thundering roars outside finally stopped, allowing Ezran to sleep much peacefully now. Callum slept beside his little brother, humming the rest of their mother’s song until sleep took hold.

(~)

The last thing Claudia expected to find that morning were the baby snake sprites from yesterday napping on top of her music box. The window was open and she remembered that she didn’t properly lock it before going to bed last night.

Quietly, Claudia approached the table. The snake sprites were curled up against one another, their wings folded back, covering their lower halves like colorful blankets. It was the emerald one that caught Claudia’s eye. She could still feel her tiny reptilian head against her forehead.

The tiny one opened her eyes and looked up at Claudia, hissing in greeting. Around the music, the box was tiny blue flowers still attached to their stems. The flowers were perfectly arranged into a circle around the music box.

Did they do this? There didn’t appear to be any signs that somebody had gotten in here, and the window was the only thing open. Also, Claudia had never seen these types of flowers before. Or... had she? There was something strangely familiar about the plants, a memory that flickered in the back of her mind.

“What are you guys doing here?” Claudia asked. The tiny snake sprite flew up and landed on Claudia’s shoulder, nuzzling her face. The tiny scales tickled the mage’s skin stirring up a warm feeling in her stomach. Claudia was always an animal lover but she had drawn a line between animals from the human kingdoms and faerie animals from Xadia.

“Okay, okay. It’s nice to see you too.” Claudia gasped when she saw that her teardrop flowers were healthy and vibrant again. She caressed one of the petals with her finger. “Did you do this?” The snake sprite hissed and fluttered its wings in reply. Claudia then slapped her forehead. “Duh, Claudia! Snake sprites; _Earth_ faeries.”

Claudia held one of the tiny flowers that were spread around her music box and noticed something peculiar about the stems. The gray coloring at the bottom was already turning grey. When she touched it didn’t feel soft like the texture of a plant. It was hardening. That was odd, flowers didn’t harden like this. The shape of the stem was off too. The tip where the flower was attached was very thin and grew a bit wider at the bottom where the gray material was growing from. It almost resembled a wild animal’s fang.

Claudia hurried to her cabinet and grabbed the jar of chimera fangs she had stored. There wasn’t much left but there was just enough for her to pull one out. She compared its size and shape to that of the plant. They were about the same size and shape, the only difference was that one was a plant.

The other baby snake sprites woke up and stared curiously at Claudia. Their younger sister was still perched on the mage’s shoulder.Claudia started searching her spell books, both old and new for anything about plants. She threw one book to the floor in frustration. Hardly any of her spellbooks contained viable information about using plants, and the ones that did were so old they might as well be regarded as relics of a bygone era. The only thing every spell had in common was that they required the body part of a faerie creature and incantation, usually, a phrase said backward, in order to activate the spell. Without a faerie, the spell would have no power.

And yet, with just a tiny portion of snake sprite scales, a restoration spell worked to perfection, without the need for an incantation. There was still no rational explanation for it, it also didn’t explain the bright light or the pleasant smell.

Claudia jumped back when a worn-out book fell at her feet, dust clouds rising up when it made contact with the ground. The snake sprites hovered over it, lifting it up with their tails. Claudia picked it up and dusted off the cobwebs to reveal the white flower image on the cover. The edges of the book were slightly bent and bits of the red velvet had already begun to tear off. When Claudia opened it the yellow pages were covered in brown splotches At least the words were still readable. There were sections upon sections about flowers of all kinds until she discovered a couple of pages had stuck together. 

Claudia carefully separated the pages and found they were about plants from Xadia. She turned the pages, bewitched by the number of beautiful plants that contained magic, yet she knew that a majority of them had gone extinct years ago. She landed on a page that matched the description of the flower the snake sprites left her.

“Chimera Fangs: A nocturnal species of Xadian flower which grow only in the shade of the deepest caves. When the flower petals are plucked the stem becomes hardened, resembling that of... bone...” Claudia paused before reading again, “And takes on a shape similar to that of a Chimera’s fang. Many explorers often confused the petrified plant for the creature’s actual remains, hence it’s named. The fangs carry the same weight, length and feel as those belonging to the creature itself.”

Claudia reached the last page and saw the name of her mother written in cursive.

_Rebeca._

“Mom.” She whispered. “This was mom’s.”

The snake sprite hissed sadly and tried to comfort Claudia by nuzzling her cheek. The other snake sprites flew around her, some landing on her head while others on her shoulders. Their tiny, scaly bodies felt oddly comforting.

She looked at the image of the Chimera Fangs again and a crazy idea formed in her head. “Say, you little guys wouldn’t happen to know where I could find these, do you?” She showed them the image, half expecting them to understand and half expecting them to just stare at her in confusion. The snake sprites hissed in unison and even started pulling on her clothes with their tails, leading her out the door.

“Okay, okay, I’m going! Can I at least have some breakfast? Or brush my teeth?”

(~)

“Alright. Quest to find Rayla’s family. Day one.”

“Ez, what are you doing?” Callum asked, seeing his little brother writing down on a small notebook.

“I’m documenting the details of our quest. All good heroes do that.” Ezran explained. Callum rolled his eyes and gently shook his head with a smile edged on his face.

Ever since Ezran first discovered stories like Rayla the Valiant the young prince dreamed of one day experiencing an adventure like the ones from his books. He and Callum would play for hours re-enacting the climactic scenes from their books. Callum often played the villain but once in a while they would spice things up and Ezran would play either the evil wizard or the monster while Callum was the hero. With Soren, Callum couldn’t properly swing a sword to save his life, but with Ezran he never failed to wow his younger brother. Probably because he wasn’t even holding the sword properly and was just aimlessly swinging it around. It still made Ezran laugh though.

Callum ruffled Ezran’s hair then hoisted his little brother onto Chestnut’s saddle before getting on himself.

“Hey, you didn’t fall off this time!” Ezran said happily.

“I learned a few new tricks.”

“Top of the morning, boys.” Rayla greeted them with a salute, strolling in on her beautiful sandy-yellow stallion.

“Somebody’s in a good mood.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s a new day, the sun is shining, the birds are singing...” right after she said that last bit a couple of birds landed on Callum’s shoulders and one on his head. The eldest prince blushed when Rayla stared at him in surprise. Either the universe was playing a practical joke for good measure or these birds had very good timing.

Callum shooed the birds off of him, muttering something that sounded along the lines of, “We’ll talk later.” Rayla shrugged it off. She probably misheard him. Callum caught Rayla staring and he scratched the back of his neck as he blushed. To his relief, Amaya and Gren arrived, already mounted onto their horses. Amaya’s was a stunning dark mare with a wavy mane and soft brown eyes. Gren’s was gray with white splotches across its haunches.

“ _You kids ready to head out?_ ” Amaya signed and Gren translated.

“Yep. Onward to adventure!” Ezran pointed straight ahead while speaking in a dramatic hero’s voice, making Rayla laugh.

“Onward indeed, noble prince.” Another voice said. Callum nearly fell off of his horse when he saw the blond knight pull out from the stables riding on his light brown colored horse.

“Soren?! You’re coming too?”

“Of course I’m coming. You didn’t expect me to let you have all the fun, did you?” Soren sleeked his hair and turned to Rayla, ready to give her one of his so-called ‘dashing’ smiles. He thought twice when he came face to face with her stare of death. Judging by the droplet of sweat already forming around the arch of his upper brow, Rayla knew he got the message she was trying to send.

She hadn’t forgotten about yesterday. The way Soren treated Callum, the prince of Katolis, no better than an incompetent stableboy. Then again, even if Callum were a stableboy she still wouldn’t tolerate such behavior. Bloodline or no, Callum was King Harrow’s son, end of discussion, and if Soren truly was the knight he claimed to be then he would start acting like one instead of flaunting his shiny armor and expect her to fall into his arms.

“Let’s go.” Rayla trotted ahead behind Amaya and Gren. Callum couldn’t help but feel a little bad for Soren. The guy had been trying to impress Rayla since day one, which admittedly Callum wasn’t too happy about. It was clear that Rayla didn’t like Soren, which lifted Callum’s spirits a bit, yet at the same time, he felt a lingering air of guilt at his thoughts.

Rayla wasn’t some property, she was a person and she was allowed to like whoever she wanted to like, and despite his poor attempts nobody could deny that Soren was at least trying. Callum could just stay silent and watch the blond crash and burn on his own time but... moments like these made him really dislike his conscience. Callum sighed, the regret already eating away at his insides, and he stirred Chestnut in Soren’s direction.

“Listen, Soren, if you really want Rayla to like you maybe you should try being, I don’t know, a little bit nicer and less of a showboat.”

“Since when do you care who I like?” Soren said a mixture of annoyances and suspicion edged in his tone.

“Well, excuse me for trying to help.” Callum gave Chestnut a slight kick for her to move forward. In a couple of seconds, Soren quickly caught up.

“Okay, okay, what’s your secret?” Soren asked, shedding away all traces of bravado as he pleaded the prince to teach him his ways. “How do you get Rayla to laugh or smile or whatever?”

“What are you talking about?”

“And they say I’m the dim one.” Soren rolled his eyes, “Every time you’re with her she’s either smiling or giggling. How do you do it?”

Well, this took an unexpected turn. Soren coming to him for advice on how to woo a lady. What’s next, he catches Viren dressed as a kitchen maid?

All joking aside, Callum wasn’t entirely sure what answer to give Soren. In his honest opinion, Rayla was often the one to make him laugh. She was just naturally funny and charming and he didn’t feel too self cautious when he was around her. Okay, sometimes he did because she was a very pretty girl and he was a bumbling teenage boy, it was to be expected, but the more time they spent together the more comfortable he felt. She was an easy person to talk to and she didn’t treat him any different she would anyone else. Rayla was honest and sweet, easily likable. 

“I don’t know. I just talk to her like a person.” Callum said, hoping it was enough of an answer. “If flexing your muscles didn’t get a reaction then just try talking to her.”

“Talk about what, exactly? She has amnesia.”

“So?”

“So, she can’t remember what she likes or dislikes. What can I even talk about?”

If it weren’t for Callum’s complete lack of athletic prowess he would slap Soren silly right about now. Callum sighed, throwing his head back and wishing he could magically whisk himself out of this tangled mess he got himself into.

“Memory or no she’s still capable of forming her own opinions.” Callum’s brows furrowed and he could have sworn Soren flinched at the prince’s glare. 

The boys heard Rayla giggling at something Gren had said. Callum could read the fondness in Amaya’s eyes as Rayla laughed at something she signed just now. Yep, Rayla was easily likable. It was no mystery why Soren liked her so much, but he still hadn’t made a real attempt to get to know her. There was that nauseating feeling again. A mixture of envy, guilt, and regret. Callum should just get it over it and spare himself any further humiliation.

“Start by being a little nicer to people. Lay off the boasting for a bit.” Callum suggested.

“You mean like... not making fun of you?”

“That’s a good start.”

“Like, at all? For the whole day?”

“Yes,” Callum said sternly. “If you won’t do it for me then at least it for her.”

Soren thought about it and accepted that maybe Callum had a point. Acting all high and mighty wasn’t getting him anywhere. Then again, he wasn’t supposed to be courting this girl in the first place, he was supposed to be keeping an eye on her just as his father told him. That was the whole reason why he chooses to join this investigation.

Still, he wasn’t going to gain Rayla’s trust if he kept poking fun at the step-prince. The step-prince who had already won over Rayla’s favor with... whatever it was that this prince had that she for some weird reason found charming.

“Fine. Enjoy it while it lasts, your highness.” Soren said and trolled ahead. Callum sighed and followed the group.

“What was that all about?” Ezran asked. Callum realized that he and Soren just had an entire conversation about girls in front of him. “I thought you liked Rayla.”

“I do, but—“

“No, I mean you _like_ , like her.” Ezran empathized, “And don’t try to deny it, you’re blushing right now.”

“Look, it’s...complicated, alright. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Ezran rolled his eyes and said to his glow toad friend, “This is why I’m not looking forward to puberty.” Bait croaked and nodded in agreement.

(~)

The group strolled through town, with several people stepping aside for the General and her troops. Rayla explored the sea of faces, hoping to find anyone who struck her as familiar but everyone felt like a stranger to her. Most of the townspeople stared at her with looks that ranged from surprise to intrigued, muttering whispers amongst each other. Rayla heard one villager comment about her hair and eyes, saying they were beautiful and foreign. She didn’t know how to respond to that.

A group of young girls stared at Rayla, some with envy while others gave her looks of admiration, wishing they had her looks and flawless skin. The looks she received from the young men were less divisive. They stared with widened eyes and mouths opened ajar, some even winked and flexed their muscles which reminded her of Soren. One young lad dressed in blue with curly light brown hair plucked a rose from a nearby floral stand and tried offering to Rayla, only for the girl next to him to bonk him in the head. Rayla whittled a snicker. Served him right.

The children’s reactions were more pleasant. They waved and smiled with innocent enthusiasm. A few elderly villagers and younger people were also friendly, so she wasn’t met with suspicion everywhere she went. Her heart swelled when she saw an elderly couple sitting on a bench. The husband gifted his wife a daisy.

It was then when Soren decided to make his move and stirred his horse forward until he rode in sync with Rayla’s horse. “So, uh... lovely day, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Rayla replied. Her tone wasn’t dismissive but Soren couldn’t tell if she was being neutral or hard to get.

“Anyway, I wanted to apologize for my ill-mannered behavior yesterday.”

This caught Rayla off guard. “You are?”

“Yes. You were right, Callum is a prince of Katolis and as captain of the crown guard I should treat him a such.”

“Wow. I’m impressed.”

“Really?” Soren said, his eyes widened excitedly and a hopeful smile plastered on his face.

“Yeah. I thought for sure my “constructive criticism” flew over your head.”

Soren couldn’t read that very well. Was she paying him a compliment or insulting him?

“Uh... thanks. I guess.”

“Though, to be perfectly honest, I don’t believe I’m the person who you should be apologizing to.” Rayla nodded her head towards Callum, who was seemingly playing a game with Ezran. The young prince was scribbling down some words in his notebook.

“You and the step-prince have gotten along pretty well, haven’t you?” Soren said, this tone dropping. Even when trying to get to know her as a person she was still hung up on Callum.

“Why do you keep calling him that?”

Soren sucked in his lips, realizing his slip up. “Uh, what I meant was, well, technically, he is the king’s stepson so—“

“He may be King Harrow’s step-son but he is just as much his son as Ezran is.”

There was that stern look of hers again. Soren was striking out big time but, for the first time since he met her, he wasn’t focusing so much on trying to get her to swoon but in trying to understand what she saw in him and why his relationship with the prince mattered to her at all.

“I...” Soren was at a loss for words. He had nothing to defend himself with right now. What could he say? He couldn’t just tell her why he picked on Callum if he did she would hate him even more. Was that what he wanted? What did he want right now? He was becoming so confused he couldn’t weave a sentence together.

“It’s not just about respecting him as a prince. You should also respect Callum as a person.” Rayla said, her tone changed from stern and tranquility assertive to gentle and empathetic. Ever her brows, which were hardened and furrowed, relaxed. “After all, he still holds some respect for you.”

“What?” Soren said, alarmed by her words. “What are you talking about?”

“Why not try asking him?”

Rayla was careful not to reveal too much, but she wasn’t going to let Soren completely off the hook. He used to be Callum’s friend, deep down there had to be some part of him that remembered that. Yesterday, when Claudia dropped the broken pieces of her mother’s music box, Rayla saw something in Soren’s eyes. Something broken and lost, she saw it in Claudia too. There was more to this guy than his bravado if Callum still believed there was then she would too. How could one just forget a friendship without rhyme or reason?

Rayla gently nudged her horse ahead and Soren trailed behind her as Callum and Ezran closed in next to her. Soren thought about what Rayla just said. _You should also respect Callum as a person. She told him._

Rayla was mysterious, a tough nut to crack. She spoke in a way that convinced everyone she knew exactly what she was talking about, that she believed wholehearted in the words that came out of her mouth. She was commanding and confident, yet sincere and patient all at once. She inspired respect as well as admiration. She possessed the voice of a woman who was a born leader, akin to a general, or a queen.

Who was she? Maybe her necklace was an indication of a noble upbringing. Soren looked back and forth between Rayla and Callum. He noticed the way the prince smiled, the way he laughed. It had been years since he saw Callum smiling like that.

 _He still holds some respect for you._ What exactly did she mean by that? Why did she care about his relationship with Callum? What did he tell her? These two were so weird and confusing.

Huh... maybe they really were a better match.

(~)

The Trader’s Market was more energetic than Rayla expected. There were people coming to and from various shops and stands to sell a variety of items like handcrafted jewelry, plates, and pottery, some being made right there next to the stands as a crowd of people watched the artists at work. Jugglers entertained the locals and visitors, minstrels playing on their lutes, accordions, and pipes. The music was infectious, pulling Rayla to join in the group of people who got up to dance in the town square.

People were selling cooked meat and deep-fried kabobs on sticks, cooked fish sliced up and served with lemon at an outdoor restaurant, fresh berries being squeezed into wine for the grownups and juice for the children, and of course sugary treats like caramel apples, pies, ice cream, and bars of chocolate, some molded into the form of animals like dogs, horses, and bears. A few were shaped like dragons or griffins, and even bunny rabbits. Rayla’s stomach grumbled as she took in the smell. Every aroma intermixing in a way that made her hunger grow with each breath.

Luckily for her, the princes shared her sentiment. Amaya paid for her nephews’ and Rayla’s meal while she and the rest of the search party spread out to start asking questions. Rayla was amazed by how good the food tasted. The fish was delicious and the iced tea they offered was addictively sweet. Naturally, Ezran had the waiter bring jelly tarts for dessert, which he shared with Bait, but Callum suggested to Rayla something called a cinnamon roll, which were said to be just as good, if not better than jelly tarts. Ezran was insulted by this claim for nothing could eve be as good as jelly tarts.

When the pastry arrived Rayla could understand Callum’s opinion. It was a yellow pastry rolled up with white icing and red powder sprinkled on top. It was almost as big as her head so she and Callum split it in half, both eating their respected piece with a fork.

Rayla had to agree that the cinnamon roll was an excellent choice. She received more than a few awkward stares when she ate the roll as though it were an animal trying to getaway. Rayla blushed and sat upright in her chair. Callum kindly offered her a napkin for her to wipe her mouth with. He didn’t look too startled by her actions.

“Sorry,” Rayla said after swallowing her last bite. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Don’t worry about it. My mom told me I practically did a nose dive when I had my first bite.”

“I did the same thing with jelly tarts,” Ezran said.

Soren came running to the group, almost out of breath. “Guys! You need to come with me.”

(~)

The metalsmith was a large and imposing man with a bald head and the tattoo of a serpent coiling around his upper left forearm, its mouth opening wider every time he flexed. He was adding the finishing touches on a mace a wealthy collector had commissioned him. On the wall were weapons, horseshoes and on a shelf a collection of necklace holders and a few rocks he found over the years, persevered in a glass case. Rayla was drawn to the stones, she could tell they were genuine, dug up from the earth itself.

“You break it you bought it.” The man spoke in a deep, raspy voice. Rayla stepped away from the shelf and joined Callum and Ezran.

“We’re not here to buy anything, sir.” Gren said, “We only want to know if you’ve seen this before.” Amaya showed him the necklace. The metalsmith’s eyes widened as he held the pendant in his hand.

“Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Is that a star stone? Where did you find this?”

“It’s mine,” Rayla said. She still wasn’t entirely sure is that were entirely true or not. She hated not knowing.

“Are you some prissy aristocrat or something?”

“ _What can you tell us about it?_ ” Amaya signed, her eyes narrowing impatiently. The metalsmith examined the material and the engraving.

“Well, the workmanship isn’t anything to write home about. I could have done something like this in my sleep.”

“Have you?” Gren asked.

“Afraid not. I’ve done bracelets and engagement rings but nothing like this. If you want any proof I’ve got files on all the items I’ve sold in the past month.”

“ _May we take a look?_ ” Amaya asked.

The metalsmith complied and showed them the files. Not one mention of an engraved necklace with a star stone to be found. Disappointingly, Amaya returned the man his files. “ _Thank you for your cooperation, sir._ ”

The group left the metalsmith’s worship, out of everyone Rayla was, understandably, the most upset. She told herself not to throw in the towel just yet, this was only the first person they questioned and the day was still young. Still, that didn’t make the disappointment any less real.

Callum consoled Rayla by placing his hand on her shoulder and Ezran took her hand, just like he did when they first met. The day was still young, she wasn’t going to give up yet.

(~)

Amaya and her search party focused on questioning the people most likely to have any connections to the neighboring kingdoms, be it political, financial, or social, to any of the other kingdoms. Inside a dress shop, they asked a woman named Madam Carp who made business with the kingdom of Duren and was a collector of rare jewels and gemstones, rumored to be somewhat of a hoarder. Rayla could practically see the drool dripping from the woman’s lower lip like a starving dog when she saw the necklace. Her fingers wiggled eagerly, nails as sharp as claws, starving to have the necklace. She even tried to offer trading it for one of her recent deliveries. Rayla and Amaya, of course, denied this and walked out in a huff.

Next, they asked jewelers, other metalworkers who weren’t half as imposing as the first guy. None of them knew anything about the necklace or anyone who would wear such an item.

The day went on, and time and time again they were shut down. That is until they met a skinny man who wore the most flamboyant clothing they have ever seen. He was a nobleman from Evenere who visited the Trader’s Market to personally retrieve his collection of handwoven tapestries, porcelain dolls, and Evenere riding hats, which were large and covered in more feathers than needed, as well as faux flowers and jewels. It made one wonder who in their right mind could wear such a thing willingly.

When he saw the necklace, he gasped dramatically. “Oh, thank the heavens above! I thought I’d never see it again.”

For a moment Rayla felt as if her spirit just left her body, leaving her a cold, lifeless shell. Were her earlier suspicions true and she really did steal it? This... no, that couldn’t be true.

After a long day of failures and one or two close calls of people trying to swindle the necklace, Amaya was understandably wary of the man. This was the first time anyone claimed to actually have seen the necklace, let alone own it.

“This lovely trinket was meant to be a gift for my dear, sweet Ophelia.” Said the man, Sir Eglamor, in an annoyingly high pitched voice. “Thank you ever so much for—“ just as he reached to grab it, Amaya pulled away, sneering at the ponytail-wearing man wearing an exaggerated amount of guy-liner.

“ _When exactly did you lose it?_ ” Amaya asked. She could practically smell the sweat dripping down his neck.

“Oh, well, it all happened so fast. I was, uh, I was ambushed! By a group of bandits on my way here!”

 _“But didn’t you just said you purchased the necklace here in Katolis?_ ” Amaya signed, narrowing her eyes. Rayla’s earlier concerns were starting to fade as she watched the man try and fail, at covering up his lies. She felt so stupid for having believed him for even a second. It was then Rayla stepped in and asked the man a question.

“If it’s really yours then you should know of the engraving on the back.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“On the back of the pendant, there’s an engraving. Can you remember it?”

“Ah, yes! Yes, of course. The engraving.” The prissy man’s lies were crumbling down around him. This man wouldn’t last two minutes in a court of law. “To be perfectly honest, I never had a chance to see it. It was tragically taken before I could see for myself.”

“But if you commissioned it then surely you would know it before the necklace was made, right?” Rayla said, her left brown rose to form an arch. Her unbreakable stare did more damage to the man’s composure than a million punches to the stomach.

“It... it... alright, fine! I’ve never seen that necklace before in my life! Are you satisfied? Honestly, I don’t know how such a priceless treasure ever found its way into the hands of a subservient wrench with no respect for the upper class!” Sir Eglamor got what was coming to him when General Amaya grabbed him by the puffy collar and lifted him up the ground. He held his hands together as if in prayer, “Please, have mercy! I’ll pay you anything just _please_ don’t damage my beautiful face!”

“I think the damage has already been done,” Gren said. Amaya dropped the man on the floor.

“ _Keep your money. It’s the only thing you’ve got_.” Amaya signed. Though that last bit was not intended to be a compliment. If this man ever lost his money and status, he truly would be nothing.

Rayla took one last look at the cowardly man who whimpered in a corner like a child, and she walked out with the rest of the group. Amaya slammed the door behind her, the force making the Faberge eggs fall and shatter on the floor. Sir Eglamor cried like a little girl.

Once outside, Rayla wrapped her arms around herself as she noticed the sun lowering down behind the mountain tops. The once crowded streets became more spares as people started packing their things and calling it a day. They had questioned everyone on Amaya’s list of potential connections, but they either wanted to take the necklace for themselves or simply didn’t know.

After all that, Rayla was left with more questions than answers.

Gren and Amaya were just as disappointed. The poor girl had such high hopes this morning, full of energy and light and now she was as dull as a looming rain cloud.

Callum was the first person to approach her. “Rayla, it’s okay—“ his hand hovered her shoulder but Rayla swatted it away and she ran off into the small crowd, ignoring Callum, Ezran, and Soren calling her name. A name that wasn’t really hers.

Amaya grabbed Callum by the shoulder and told him to go after her and that she would gather the rest of the guards to head for home. Ezran joined his brother and Soren... he knew Rayla was in good hands.

(~)

Rayla didn’t have enough energy to keep on running. She knew running off wasn’t a smart idea but she didn’t want anyone to see her like this. Everything came crashing down like a pile of bricks. She fell on the foot of a nearby fountain in the town square. The few people that remained gave her a passing glance before going about their business.

Instead of getting closer to the truth, she was getting farther away. Her feelings bubbled up to the surface in the form of tears and sobs as she stared at her reflection in the water. She was a mess and she wished she could stop crying but she couldn’t even if she wanted to. She was frail and vulnerable right now. Had she ever felt like this before? Why couldn’t she remember? Why couldn’t she bloody remember anything?!

In her anger she slapped the surface of the once tranquil water, distorting her reflection. When it materialized again she noticed two figures behind her. Rayla wiped her tears with her sleeve and tried to cover her face by curling up into a fetal position.

Callum and Ezran sat on opposite sides of her, not saying a word. Bait curled up into a ball at her feet, croaking sadly, his colors turning dull and gray to match his mood. Rayla peeked behind her arms and noticed Bait staring up at her with sympathetic eyes. The glow toad smiled, his eyes gleaming which, oddly enough, made him look kind of adorable. His efforts managed to get out a short laugh from Rayla. She stroked the back of his head and he purred like a cat before getting on his belly for her to scratch. His body glowed and his tongue lapped over his lower lip as he enjoyed Rayla’s tummy rubs.

Ezran offered Rayla one of the napkins from the restaurant for her to clean her face. “Thanks. I’m sorry for running off like that.”

“It’s okay, we get it,” Callum said. Rayla knew he meant well but...

“No. You don’t get it. I wouldn’t expect guys to understand.”

“That you can’t remember your parents?” Ezran said. “I think we do.”

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, really, but you don’t have to pretend for my sake.”

“No, Ezran’s right,” Callum said.

“I can’t remember anything about our mom,” Ezran said, earning a hurtful look from Rayla. “She died when I was just a baby.”

“And my birth father passed away before I was even born,” Callum said, fiddling with the ends of his jacket sleeve. “I don’t even know what he looked like, or where he was from. Only that he liked to draw but that’s about it. I was scared to ask too much about him because it made my mom so sad. Then when she married Harrow I choose not to talk about him at all.”

“At least you can remember mom.” Ezran said, “All I know about her are from someone else’s memories.” Ezran said, taking Rayla’s land in his. “But it’s not the same thing. We would give anything for just one fleeting memory of our parents.”

Rayla’s tears came back, surprisingly stronger this time. Callum wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a side hug while Ezran snuggling close to her side and Bait curling up in her lap. Rayla laid her head on Callum’s shoulder.

“At least you have each other and the king and your aunt. I have nobody.”

“You have us.” Ezran said, “Friends are as close to family as you can get.”

“Today didn’t go as you hoped but tomorrow is another day,” Callum said.

Rayla grimaced at the thought. She wasn’t sure if she could handle another disappointing trip. “I don’t know if I’m up for another trip.” She said.

“That’s okay. Aunt Amaya and her troops won’t stop until they find your family. In the meantime, we’ll keep you busy.”

With the day slowly coming to a close, the setting sun bathing the sky in hues of orange and pink, for Rayla the world felt colder than it really was. Callum and Ezran’s hugs, coupled with Bait’s comforting glow, was the warmth Rayla didn’t realize she was desperately craving. She wanted to forget about Sir Eglamor, forget about the bone-crushing disappointment of the day and enjoy this calming moment with her friends. As far as she knew, her only friends.

Ezran began to hum a lovely tune, and Rayla jerked her head upwards in surprise. “What’s that?”

“It’s song Callum sang to me last night. It was our mom’s.”

Rayla turned to Callum, her mouth flung open. “You sing too?! How many bloody secrets are you hiding, prince!” She slapped his chest with her arm, knocking the wind out of him. Funny, she wasn’t trying to hit too hard. She must not be aware of her own strength.

Callum held his hands up, “Just that, I promise.”

Rayla tilted her head, an impish glint in her eye, “I don’t believe you. Ez, how does it go?”

“I don’t remember all the words yet but, it goes something like this.” Ezran inhaled deeply before singing softly. His voice was sweet and clear, rising and lowering to the lyrics.

_Your songs are in my heart_

_They light the dark_

_So come give me your hand_

_Now and we'll dance tonight_

_In the blazing light_

_And the years will fade away_

_Fade as you play_

_Play through the dark_

The trio gasped when a group of minstrels pulled out their instruments and started playing to Ezran’s song. They were witnesses to Rayla’s crying but were too unsure about approaching her, unsure about what to say to ease the maiden’s woes. They were touched by the princes’ compassion and decided now was as good a time as ever to fill the space with a comforting tune.

A mixture of a laugh and a gasp left Rayla’s mouth, her hand reached up to her mouth, unable to suppress her bubbling glee as the minstrels played. She had been dying to dance to their music all day but never found the time, or the courage, to jump off her horse and dance to her heart’s content.

She wasn’t even sure if she could dance. As the music played, Callum opened his mouth to sing the rest of the song he was unable to finish last night before Ezran fell asleep in his arms.

_I'm spinning with the sound_

_There drumming in the ground_

_And the humming of the song beneath my skin_

_And the world falls away_

_As I hear the pipes play_

_Sounding the song from within_

_From within_

The song worked like magic, inspiring the minstrels who captured the sound perfectly. Callum’s singing voice was mesmerizing, so much so that the birds littering the square looked up at the prince. Tiny birds chirped along while some landed on the head and shoulders of the minstrels as they played. A few passerby’s stopped and gathered around the square. Children clapped their hands to the music which sped up, its infectious rhythm had Rayla in its sway.

Bait jumped off of Rayla’s lap when she stood up. From the light rhythmic pounding of the drums, the sensuous sound of the violin, the whistling of the pan-pipe, the merry strumming of the lute, it spun around her body, pulling her feet forward. Whether it was her own doing or the music taking its hold on her, Rayla didn’t care. The group of people faded from her mind’s eye, becoming colorful blurs as she spun, her arms moving with the grace and smoothness of a swan’s wings and she glided across the floor like a spirit. 

The audience was enthralled by the girl’s movements. It didn’t look like a traditional Katolian dance. It didn’t look like any form of dancing known to anyone. It was new and fresh and beautiful. The best part was, the girl was beaming from ear to ear, laughing and giggling, her melodic voice reaching the ears of everyone present, infecting everyone. Children giggled and tried to mimic her movements. Rayla saw this and encouraged the children to join her. She pulled Ezran in too.

_The minstrels sang the chorus._

_Your songs are in my heart_

_They like a dart_

_So come give me your hand_

_Now and we'll dance tonight_

_In the blazing light_

_And the years will fade away_

_Fade as you play_

_Play through the dark_

_Play in my heart_

_Play in my heart_

Rayla harmonized to the music, _Ah-ah-ah-ah_

_Ah-ah-ah-ah_

_Ah-ah-ah-ah_

_Ah-ah-ah-ah_

_Ah-ah-ah-ah_

_Ah-ah-ah-ah_

The minstrels almost stopped their playing and the people were frozen in place. The maiden’s voice was fairer than any angel in the heavens. A number of possible theories bloomed amongst the people, wondering if she was either a professional singer or a lady of wealthy upbringing for how could anyone possess a voice as professional as hers and not have had years upon years of practice? Yet she didn’t carry herself as a woman of wealth. She dressed no differently than anyone there, she danced with children, young men, and women, the elderly, anyone she saw was dying to join the dance but was too self cautious to do so. Her platinum blond hair captured the light of the setting sun, making her stand out amongst the crowd of brunettes, dirty blonds and redheads.

Amaya and her group followed the music, though Amaya couldn’t hear the sound due to her being deaf, she could tell there was a party going on. There were minstrels and a growing crowd. Her eyes widened and she laughed when she saw it was Rayla in the center of all this merriment, dancing with Ezran and a group of children and villagers of all shapes and sizes.

Soren’s lower jaw dropped open when he saw Rayla. He had never seen her this happy. He noticed Callum standing near the fountain, clapping his hands and taping his toes but not joining in the dance. Rayla invited the eldest prince to partake but he awkwardly declined. Soren read the disappointment on Rayla’s features and felt his heart stop.

What was this weird feeling twisting up inside of him? It wasn’t envy, he knew that. He knew why Callum said no, the guy had two left feet and if Soren pushed him into the dance he would only be humiliating him which would go against their agreement about being nice for the day.

Then again, Callum fell off a horse and was beaten by Soren in sword fighting for like the millionth time, and none of that chased Rayla away. At this point Soren wouldn’t be surprised if Callum fell face-first into a slice of pie and Rayla would just laugh it off and wipe the cream off his face herself.

Soren decided not to think too much about it and just acted. With one push, Callum tumbled onto the center of the dance. The prince shot the blond a death glare being dragged away by some random village girl. Soren smiled in satisfaction. Callum would thank him for this later.

Callum couldn’t keep up with the fast paste movements. He managed to politely escape the village girl who went on to dance with another guy and bumped into Ezran.

“Come on, Callum!”

“No, no, no, no, Ez, you know I can’t dance.”

“Sure you can. I saw you dancing last night in your room. You’re really good.”

“You—What?!” Callum couldn’t believe it. His sneaky little weasel of a brother caught him dancing alone in his room? If Soren ever found out he would never let him live it down, and if anyone else found out he would be dragged to more aggravating classes with his equally aggravating dance teacher, Mrs. Valentine. He could _not_ go back to that!

“I can’t do any of that here!” Callum protested, but before he could say another word Rayla showed up, her eyes sparkling when she saw him. Callum gulped when Rayla stood before him. She gave the prince a small curtesy and Callum, by sheer instinct, gave a princely bow. In a flash, Rayla took Callum by the hand and pulled him into the dance.

“No, no, no trust me, I’m the last person you’d want to dance with.”

“Come on, it’s easy. It’s just like riding a horse. Don’t fight the rhythm, just go with it.”

Callum still wasn’t so sure. He couldn’t dance with so many people watching. Rayla took his left arm and Callum was half-sure she was about to pull him into a waltz. This was the usual formation for the dance, one hand in hers and the other around her waist, but Rayla instead folded his right arm to his stomach. The two froze for a moment, their faces mere inches apart. Rayla gently pulled back, shyly biting her lower lip while Callum bashfully looked away, his cheeks tainted red.

Rayla danced in a circle around Callum at an even paste to allow him to follow. Callum attempted to mirror her movements but nearly tripped a couple of times and his foot almost caught in his ankle. Rayla didn’t seem bothered by it and she admired Callum’s determination to try and decipher the secret to her dance. Callum nearly fell again but found his balance when his hand landed on Rayla’s. With their intertwined fingers held high they moved in a circle as the music played.

The audience dispersed, giving the young dances more room. Many stopped to stare.

“Rayla, everyone’s looking.”

“Don’t worry about them. It’s just you and me right now.”

Was that... was she flirting just now? No, it had to be his imagination. But, her smile was so sweet it made Callum’s earlier hesitations melt away. He chose to focus on the girl in front of him, the multitude of faces blurred behind her as the music played out. The wind picked up and Callum felt a sudden surge of energy pulsing within him. The wind currents worked like guiding hands, leading his feet and arms in a pattern similar to Rayla’s. Could she feel the wind too? Could she almost see it?

Callum chose to store those questions away for now. When was he ever going to experience a moment like this ever again? His confidence grew with every breath and he pulled Rayla towards him. She let out a surprised yelp but quickly relaxed in his arms. He spun her a couple of times and Rayla was rendered speechless.

Callum was dancing. Really, really dancing. Ezran giggled in a corner while Soren, Amaya, and Gren stared with their jaws hanging open. Callum laughed joyously, his feet were like feathers gliding through the wind and his arms weren’t flailing aimlessly like a frantic duck. He spun and leaped, his green eyes sparkled as he and Rayla dazzled the crowd with their improved movements.

Callum couldn’t explain what was happening, the only way he could describe it was that he felt one with the wind, one with the music, with the very air that he breathed, with Rayla, with... everything. There were no walls, no barriers, he was... free!

The audience watched in silent awe as their prince danced with the beautiful maiden, already commenting on what a handsome couple they made. Callum was confident enough to place his hands around Rayla’s waist to spin her, more than once their hands found each other and with every touch Rayla felt what could only be described as an electric pulse prickling her fingers. Yet, she never pulled away. It didn’t even burn. It felt... natural. Like it was a part of Callum.

Just when she thought he couldn’t surprise her anymore, Callum sang in her ear.

_There's drumming in the ground_

_And the humming of a sound_

_That we once knew_

_Come sing through the night_

_Come fill me with your light_

_Play a song sounding out through the years_

_Play it steady and strong_

_Fill me with song_

_Sending me dancing, sending me dancing_

_Dance as the pipes play away in my heart_

Rayla remembered the chorus from Ezran, the same chorus the minstrels sung over and over as they played, only every now and again taking separate pauses as to not get too repetitive. She sang with him.

_Your songs are in my heart_

_They light the dark_

_So come give me your hand_

_Now and we'll dance tonight_

_In the blazing light_

_And the years will fade away_

_Fade as you play_

_Play through the dark_

_Play in my heart_

_Come give me your hand tonight_

_Your star is bright_

_Your songs are in my heart!_

Callum spun Rayla once more and the song came to a stop when her hand found his shoulder, his arm outstretched and their faces so close they could feel each other’s breath against their cheeks.

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Rayla said in half a whisper it made Callum weak at the knee. The roaring applauds broke them out of their trance and they stepped away from each other, keeping a respectable distance. 

“I thought Callum couldn’t dance,” Gren said.

“ _Guess those lessons finally sunk in?_ ” Amaya sighed. She wasn’t sure how much of that she believed but whatever the case her nephew was spectacular. Ezran hollered while jumping up and down and Soren, still stunned, found himself clapping.

Whatever spell this girl had put on the prince it was doing wonders for his self-esteem. For the first time in years, Soren felt happy for Callum. The young guard was taken aback by this revelation. As he watched Callum and Rayla receive praises from the people and the minstrels, a young girl even gave Rayla a flower.

Soren hadn’t seen Callum laugh like that in years. For once Callum wasn’t hiding behind his drawing book. Something was changing in him. Maybe Soren was thinking about it too much.

Or maybe... he was starting to actually _see_ things for once. 

(~)

 _This has better be worth it,_ Claudia kept telling herself. She repeated this sentence all day it was beginning to sound like a prayer at this point. When no one else was looking, she snuck out of the castle, following the snake sprites across the forest.

Saying it out loud made it sound really, really, really dumb. Claudia knew it was ridiculous to follow a group of baby snake sprites into the unknown to find a flower that was believed to be extinct. Still, the discovery alone had to be worth something. She wasn’t doing it to prove anything, she just... wanted to know for herself.

Ever since yesterday, Claudia felt a yearning to understand what she saw. These little snake sprites showed up in her room with flowers that haven’t been seen in centuries. This was the second strangest thing to happen to her this past couple of days, so why stop the ball rolling now?

Besides, the worst that could happen was that she spent an entire day out in the woods and came back empty-handed. At least she could say she got some fresh air.

She just wished this “day in the outdoors” didn’t involve climbing up a tall mountain. Well, Claudia was never a stranger to hard work so, she rolled up her sleeves (figuratively speaking) and started climbing. It took hours and every now and again she would rest on a ledge big enough to support her and eat the sandwich she brought for lunch. She tried sharing it with the snake sprites but they weren’t too big on peanut butter and bananas. They were, however, interested in a fire spider Claudia had been carrying around in case she needed to cast a flame spell.

The little ones refused to leave her side and they seemed really hungry. Claudia gave into her conscience, again, and let the babies eat the big, fat, juicy spider which no doubt would have made a great bonfire. The mage recoiled when the snake sprites devoured the large spider in minutes, satisfying their tiny appetites. The emerald snake sprite that rarely left Claudia’s side, compared to the rest of her siblings, upchucked what appeared to be a piece of glowing ember. A little disgusted, Claudia picked it up and examined it. The piece was covered in gut remains and she dropped it in the jar where she was originally keeping the live spider. The tiny ember emanated a soft glow when it hit the bottom of the jar. Claudia gave it a firm shake and the jaw lit up.

“Huh. Could come in handy in case I find myself in a dark room with no candles.” She said then stuffed the jar back into her satchel, the glow eventually fading. She had no idea she could do that with a fire spider. These little snake sprites were full of surprises.

Once Claudia reached the top she was sweaty and tired, her muscles ached and she was pretty sure she had blisters the shape of cantaloupes. She was so close to complaining and shouting at the top of her lungs until she took in the view.

From a distance, she could see Katolis in all it’s glory. The village, the castle, the streams, the forests. Strong, powerful oaks and willow-melon trees cloaking the smaller trees and bushes with their massive shadows as the sun was beginning to tuck behind the tops of the mountain. The sky glowed with orange and pink hues and when Claudia looked higher she could see the night sky slowly making its way into the scene. Tiny stars already popping up. She had no idea how late it had gotten but... this view was beyond words.

“Wow... I don’t think I’ve ever seen Katolis from up here before.” The snake sprite tugged on her collar and pointed to the cave behind her. “Right!” Claudia was so caught up in the scenery she nearly forgot what she came here for in the first place.

The cave was cold and wet, water dripping from above, an icy cold one landed on Claudia’s head. She shielded the baby snake sprites with her cape, due to their small size the water droplets could damage their still developing wings. The emerald one, who was definitely the bravest of the bunch, flew towards a patch of flowers, some of which had already been pulled out from the ground.

“This is it! The Chimera Fang, it still exists!” Claudia grabbed as many as she could carry and placed them in an empty jar big enough to hold them. If she removed the tiny flowers and once the stems hardened it was almost like having an extra supply of chimera fangs. If she showed her father he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

Actually, he would if he ever used them for a spell and it either didn’t work or did something completely different. The discovery alone was great but, in the long run, was it really worth it?

As Claudia left the cave, the snake sprites flying about in the light of the setting sun, she took one last look at the scenery and breathed in the forest air. The emerald snake nuzzled against her cheek and the others circled her, tickling her face with their wings and scaly tails.

Yeah. It was kind of worth it.

(~)

The search party arrived at the castle just as night began to fall. Rayla was in much higher spirits, and little Ezran was so tuckered out he and Bait fell asleep in her arms as they rode back. Rayla carried the young prince in her arms while Amaya carried the glow toad. Callum offered to take the horses back to the stables and, to his surprise, Soren offered to help.

“That was some performance,” Soren said as he removed the saddle from his horse.

“Please don’t tell the king about this!” Callum pleaded as he closed Chestnut’s stable door, “I can not go back to another one of Mrs. Valentine’s dance lessons.”

Soren shuddered, “I don’t know what’s scarier, her crone nose or that creepy mole attached to it.”

“I swear I saw the hair move!”

“Like a tiny tentacle.” Soren placed his hand under his chin and wiggled his finger. As disgusted as the memory was, watching Soren trying to recreate it was hilarious. The boys wounded up laughing so loud it alarmed a couple of the horses. They used to laugh a lot inside this very stable, playing hide and seek, visiting the horses, it was the first time Callum met Chestnut and she took a liking to the prince almost instantly.

For a moment, it felt like time had turned back. To a time where Soren didn’t look down on Callum for being a ‘step-prince’. Soren was the first to ceased the laughing, much to Callum’s dismay.

“So, did you manage to work things out with Rayla?” Callum asked, fighting back the unpleasant taste in his mouth.

“Eh, you know I’m starting to think she’s not really my type,” Soren said while petting his horse, now free of his reigns, and threw a big pile of fresh hay for him to eat.

“Really? Beautiful, funny and athletic isn’t your type?” Callum was sure he saw a ghost of a smile on Soren’s face.

“Don’t push your luck. You’ve still got sixteen hours left of me being nice.” Soren closed the stable door and ran his hand through his messy blond hair.

“You did push me earlier.” Callum pointed out.

“You’re welcome.”

Callum thought about Soren’s response and once he figured it out his face flushed red yet again. He was so sure that Soren pushed him into the square in the hopes of seeing him fall flat on his face, when really... he did it so he could dance with Rayla.

Rayla, the girl Soren had been pining for since she showed up. Rayla, who didn’t care if Callum was terrible at sword fighting or riding horses. She didn’t even care if he couldn’t dance, she just wanted to have fun... with him.

Callum scratched his scalp, messing up his hair even more. He was way in over his head. Typical daydreamer Callum wrapped up in some boyish fantasy. Still, he had a lot of fun, and knowing that Soren did something nice for him—in his own way—was the icing on the cake.

“Thanks,” Callum said. And he meant it. Soren didn’t say anything back. He just shrugged, nodded and walked out of the stable.

It was better than nothing.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is “World Falls Away” from Celtic Woman.
> 
> This chapter was loads of fun, we’re starting to really get into the meat of things now. I know this story has had a rather slow start, that’s because I want to establish the dynamics in a believable way for when the adventure kick starts. 
> 
> Next chapter we get to see what Claudia does with her find, and more interactions with Rayla.
> 
> Until next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	9. Chapter 9

Amaya carried a sleeping Ezran and Bait off to bed. The young prince mumbled something about jelly tarts and cinnamon rolls in his sleep. Rayla thanked Amaya and Gren again for allowing her to join them and politely explained her reasons for wanting to remain in the castle for a while after the events of today. Amaya understood Rayla’s decision but she could read the disappointment behind Rayla’s genuine attempt at a smile. Amaya swore that, no matter what, she wouldn’t rest until she found the child’s family.

Rayla strolled down the corridor towards her bedroom, yawning and stretching until she nearly crashed into a figure dressed in a long dark cloak. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see—“ the figure’s hood rolled off, revealing her face.

“Claudia?”

In a flash, Claudia grabbed Rayla by the wrist and pulled her behind a wall, covering her mouth with one hand while anchoring her close to Claudia’s side with her free arm. The mage poked her head slightly to make sure no one else had followed her.

“ _Doievenwanttoknw_?” Rayla asked, her voice came out muffled due to Claudia’s hand clamped over her mouth.

“What?”

Rayla yanked the mage’s hand off, “I said: Do I even want to know?”

“Sorry. You haven’t seen my dad by any chance, have you?”

“No. I’ve been out all day,”

Claudia sighed in relief and the tiny snake sprite popped out from the lower side of her hood. At first, Rayla thought she was seeing things but when the legless reptilian slithered over the mage’s shoulder she knew it was real.

“Hey, when did this wee cutie come back?” Rayla said as she tickled the snake sprite’s chin.

“She came through my window last night. And she brought the whole litter.” Claudia opened her cloak to reveal the rest of the snake sprites, spread our like patterns on a dress. Rayla couldn’t believe it, not only had the snake sprites returned but Claudia hadn’t squashed them into spell juice yet. The affectionate way they were interacting with the mage reassured Rayla that it would stay that way. No one could fake affection like that.

Claudia turned her head right and left before stepping out from behind the wall. “Looks like the coast is clear,”

“Why were you hiding from your dad?” Rayla asked. She made sure to keep her voice leveled so no one would listen in on their conversation.

Claudia bit her bottom lip, contemplating on whether or not she should tell Rayla the truth. If she couldn’t tell her father why tell this girl anything?

Dread and discomfort bubbled up inside her like bad indigestion. Claudia rarely kept any secrets from her father and she didn’t want to keep this a secret, though she knew why she was hesitant to tell him. Viren would assume Claudia was wasting time locating a supposedly extinct plant, while the discovery was impressive it wouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. A plant Chimera Fang couldn’t replace the real thing... or could it?

That was the whole reason she went in search of it in the first place. To test her theory and see if other spells could be replicated using different methods like what Rayla did for her music box.

Knowing her father, he wouldn’t believe in such a claim without hard evidence. That’s why she couldn’t tell him, not yet. Not until she had enough data to conclude this. It could change everything, or maybe she was overhyping this. The only person who could possibly understand, and by far the only person who would understand, was the platinum blond girl standing before her.

She wouldn’t dare go to Callum about this. Though, that seemed to be more out of shame and pride than anything else. Nope, Rayla was the only option right now. She needed somebody to conclude she hadn’t gone insane.

“If I told you I discovered something... something that might seem a little... out of the ordinary, would you think I was crazy?” Claudia asked, clenching the jar around her like a teddy bear for strength.

“That depends on what it is its?” Rayla noticed the color starting to drain from the mage’s rosy cheeks. “Are you okay?” She asked sympathetically.

“It’s just... I don’t know who else to turn to right now.”

“Claudia, if something’s the matter you should tell someone.”

“Can I tell you? So far, you seem to be the only person who could understand.” Claudia tightened the clip that held her cloak together, her hood shadowing the upper half of her face, the bridge of her nose and her eyes, but Rayla could see her vibrant green orbs penetrating through the shadow. Rayla inhaled and suddenly she was bombarded with the familiar scent of the forest from yesterday, trumping over the odor of decay that often swarmed around Claudia like a cloud of flies.

After a brief silence, Rayla nodded. “Of course you can.”

“Thank you!”

Claudia took Rayla’s wrist, against, and led her to her room. Once inside Rayla had to fight the urge to upchuck her lunch. Claudia’s room was edged with the lingering stench of death, but at the same time, there was a growing scent of... flowers. The scent was so strong it canceled out nausea that was creeping up inside her.

“Sorry about the mess, I’m a little behind on my spring cleaning,” Claudia said as she removed her cloak to hang it on a nearby hook on the wall. “And fall cleaning. And summer cleaning—”

“I get it,” Rayla said with an amused look on her face, chuckling to herself. Her attention was drawn to the beautiful lush flowers on the table. Her lilac eyes sparkling as she gently traced the patterns with her fingers.

“They’re called Teardrops.” Claudia said, walking up to Rayla who was still entranced by the flowers, “They were my mom’s favorite.”

“They’re beautiful,”

The flowers were very well taken care of. Their light and beauty pushed back the foul stench that stuck to the walls of Claudia’s room. 

“So what was this big secret you wanted to tell me?”

Claudia placed the jar on the table and spilled them all in front of Rayla, who stared at Claudia in confusion.

“What am I supposed to be looking at? They’re just teeth.” Rayla said.

“Not all of them.”

Rayla was about to say something to the contrast but stopped when she noticed one of the fangs had a faded green coloring while the grey material, which strongly resembled a bone’s hollow surface, was slowly consuming the green coloring. Rayla examined it up close by spinning it in between her fingers to get a feel of it.

“What is this?”

Claudia opened her mother’s plant book and tapped her finger on the picture. “Chimera Fangs. A supposedly extinct flower that takes on the shape and form of a chimera’s fang when pulled out of the earth.”

“Extinct?”

“I know! I couldn’t believe it either!”

Rayla’s eyes widened as she compared the plant to the picture. “Where did you find this?”

“Inside a cave on top of a mountain,” Claudia replied, feeling out of breath just thinking about it.

Rayla’s mouth flew open. “You climbed an _entire_ mountain... by yourself... just to get this?”

“I’ve got the blisters to prove it,”

“No need I believe you!” Rayla said quickly just as Claudia was about to remove one of her boots to show said blisters. As if the stench of her boot wasn’t enough of a giveaway. “How did you know where to find the cave?”

“The snake sprites. They led me to it.” The emerald snake sprite still perched on Claudia’s shoulder nodded her tiny head and hissed in reply. Like Bait, her eyes carried a level of unspoken intelligence.

“Wow. I didn’t know you had it in you. You’ve got a lot of moxie.”

“Hey, my mom used to say the same thing. You know she used to call me “Moxie-Claudie.”

Rayla bit her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing but a relentless snort escaped her grasp. “Sorry!”

Claudia laughed, “Don’t be. She was terrible at nicknames.”

“Still, this is an incredible find!”

“Yeah. I guess.” Claudia flopped on her bed. The emerald snake sprite still on her shoulder while the others either fluttered above her or Rayla’s heads or found somewhere in the room to rest.

“You guess? You rediscovered a supposedly dead species of plant life! I’d say that’s a pretty important find.”

“Because they aren’t real chimera fangs. They'd probably be useless for a spell.”

“Why would they?”

“That’s... actually why I wanted to find them. Ever since yesterday, I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday.”

“What did happen?” Rayla asked, sitting on Claudia’s chair to face her.

“Normally when it comes to spells you need at least three important things for it to work: A fae, an incantation which is the command told backward, and the precise order in which you put it all together. But yesterday when I used your snake scales to fix my music box I didn’t need an incantation at all. I just mixed the stuff together and they just... naturally reacted without me having to do anything else. It even smelled nice too. It shouldn’t have worked and yet... it did.”

As Rayla listened she found herself sucked into Claudia’s explanation about magic. A lot of its rules felt very off-putting, like the need for an incantation and, of course, the use of an innocent fae’s magical essence. When she explained how the spell functioned with Rayla’s substitute option something inside of her suddenly clicked.

The way she described how the items just meshed together and formed something new didn’t sound unnatural at all. After all, don’t most cooks and bakers mix items together to get that perfect blend? Or when doctors mix natural sources like herbs and leaves to make medicine? What Claudia explained was no different, aside from the magic factor which made sense seeing as these Chimera Fangs were originally a Xadian plant found by the snake sprites which, according to Callum’s own knowledge on the creatures, could sense the magic within plants. If that was the case, why didn’t dark mages think about doing this in the first place?

“So, you thought that is one spell worked without using an actual fae or an incantation then others could work the same way too?” Rayla concluded.

“Yes! Exactly.” Claudia sighed, holding her face with her hands and elbows now her lap. “Pretty stupid, right?”

“No. No, it doesn’t sound stupid at all. I mean, it worked the first time didn’t it?”

“Yeah but there’s no way I could possibly use those plants. They can’t replace a real chimera fang, not for this kind of potion anyway.”

Rayla placed the chimera fang plant she was holding back on the table. “Okay, how exactly does this spell work?”

“It’s a potion that when it makes contact with any solid surface it would turn volcanic hot with one incantation. It requires the hot coals salvaged inside the chimera’s teeth.”

“Seems to me you’ve got plenty of those teeth to go around,” Rayla said, picking up one of the teeth. The fang was old and yet she could still smell the foul decaying breath of the beast it was once attached to. She felt if she crushed it with her hand she would wind up with nothing but bone dust and ashes. 

“Yeah, but they’re not enough, I need a specific row of teeth that when together they weight a certain amount. Once those fangs run out I won’t be able to get anymore.” Claudia said, “There hasn’t been a chimera a sighting in twenty years. Even if I use those plants it won’t do the spell any good. I did have a fire spider but these little guys ate it.” Claudia gestured to the snake sprites fluttering about in her room, one curled up on Rayla’s knee. “Besides, the spell also requires the hard surface of the actual bones mixed in with the hot ashes inside. The plants may have the bone structure but none of the fiery ashes.”

Rayla absorbed everything Claudia said. Something about these dark magic rules sounded a little too strict and confined for her taste. If this was supposed to be the magic that “freed” humanity from the oppression of dragons then why did it feel like more trouble than it was worth? Not to mention the hassle it would have been just to find these magical creatures to create these spells? How could it be magic that “liberated” humans when it stole the very life of an innocent creature? As Callum said, something that fueled one’s own ego didn’t seem like a noteworthy cause.

As Rayla listened out the things needed for the potion she smiled as an idea came to mind.

“What was that you said about hot coals?”

(~)

“Are you sure about this?”

“I trusted you before, now it’s your turn to trust me,” Rayla told Claudia was the two snuck down to the kitchen. The chef was finishing up cooking a delicious roast beef on the stove. The fire died down when he was done and when he left Rayla quickly snatched a couple of red hot coals and stashed them into a bag. Claudia’s jaw dropped in shock.

“ _How_ are your hands not burning right now?!”

Rayla looked at her hands. Not a sign of scorch or burn marks to be seen. “Fast fingers? Now come on.” Rayla pulled Claudia out of the kitchen before the chef came back. Back in her bedroom, Claudia weighted several chimera fang plants on a balance device to measure their weight compared to that of a rock. Once she had the right amount she dumped the plants into a wooden bowl.

“I don’t know about this. What if it doesn’t work?” Claudia said, biting her nails anxiously.

“At least we can say we gave it a try.” Rayla pulled the mage’s hands out of her mouth before she chewed all of her fingernails off. “Stop that! Unless you want to have the fingers of a hobo. Relax.”

“How can I relax? What if it blows up and turns us into toads? What if it turns my hair prematurely white? What if my dad finds out? Oh man, what was I thinking? Why did I tell you anything? I never should have done this!”

Rayla grabbed the frantic mage’s shoulders and gave her a firm shake to snap her out of her hysteria. “Claudia! Calm. Down. Breath.”

Claudia inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. 

“Listen, if your father does find out just tell him that it was all my idea and you tried to stop me.”

“What? Are you insane?”

“He already doesn’t like me anyway, better he pins the blame on me than on you.”

Claudia was stunned. They haven’t even known each other for that long and she was already willing to take the blame for something that wasn’t entirely her fault just to spare Claudia from getting into trouble with her father?

“I can’t believe you would do that.”

“Yeah, can we speed this up? These coals aren’t getting any hotter.” Rayla threw the hot coals into the bowl and Claudia smashed them and chimera fangs together. A familiar scent returned, the same smell as before. A gooey liquid spilled out from the remains of the Chimera Fang, mixing with the hard bone surface and bits of coal with specks of ember still sparking like tiny fireworks. In a matter of minutes, the mixture changed into a glowing green liquid that smelled like something fresh out of the oven.

“Did it work?” Rayla asked.

Claudia hovered her hand over the green liquid, feeling a warm heat against her skin. “One way to know for sure.”

Rayla looked around for something to burn and grabbed a random fork from in between two blanks of wood. “What’s a fork doing on the floor?”

“Oh, that’s where it went!” Claudia said, her usual bubbly demeanor making a full comeback, “I dropped it two weeks ago while I was having dinner in my room. Look, it still has a piece of beef.”

Rayla resisted the urge to gag and handed the utensil to Claudia. “Yeah, you definitely need to clean this place.”

Claudia carefully poured the liquid into a tiny vial and drizzled it onto the fork. Immediately the fork began to sizzle, burning her skin. With a yelp, she dropped the scorching hot metal onto the floor. Rayla grabbed a nearby watering can and poured it on the fork. A cloud of steam rose up which the girls fanned away with stacks of paper they found laying around.

Once the smoke cleared Claudia bent down to pick up the now disfigured fork, its head was bent backward with the teeth having stretched out and now looked like metal goop.

Rayla waited for Claudia’s response but the mage appeared to have completely shut down, staring blankly at the fork without blinking. “Claudia?” Rayla waved a hand in front of her frozen face. “Claudia, are you okay?”

Rayla jumped in her boots when Claudia started squealing and laughing like a hyena having a seizure. The snake sprites hid behind books and jars as Claudia hugged Rayla so tight she could feel her ribcage being pushed against her spine.

“You are a genius! Where have you been all my life!”

“Probably breathing!” Rayla said in a strained high pitched voice.

“Sorry, sorry!” Claudia released Rayla and started and started pacing around her room. Her heart was racing like mad. “Oh my gosh, this is amazing! I can’t believe it actually worked! I was so sure it was gonna turn us into frogs but no. It worked! Better than I hoped, actually.” While Claudia kept on raving about their success Rayla choose to pour the remaining hot liquid into separate vials nearby to keep it from melting anything else.

“This is unbelievable! But, what does it mean? What could it mean? Can this be applied to more spells and potions? And if one Xadian plant could do that then what could others do? Oh my gosh, we could be sleeping on a magic mother-load and we never even knew it!”

The entire time Claudia was having a fangasm over their find Rayla sat on the chair, watching the mage’s eyes widened with wonder and delight. She was reminded of the way Callum and Ezran’s eyes would light up like twinkling stars in the sky when they talked about stories of Xadia and legendary heroes from their favorite stories. Claudia shared the same youthful energy as the princes. For the first time Rayla saw no trace of the dark mage she was suspicious about before, she saw a passionate and imaginative teenage girl experiencing the wonder of magic for the first time. 

Claudia stopped in her tracks when she remembered Rayla was still present. “Um, sorry. I was rambling wasn’t I?”

Rayla gently shook her head with a soft expression. “Not at all. You have every right to celebrate.”

Claudia blushed at the compliment and pulled a lock of hair behind her ear, “It was just a minor potion, no big deal.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You just did something amazing and you didn’t need to cut off a unicorn’s organs to do it.”

“Actually, a unicorn’s organs would be terrible for this particular spell, and there are at least fifty ways you could cut them into—“ Claudia stopped when Rayla gave her a displeased look. “Never-mind.”

“Actually, it was kind of fun. The potion thing, not the unicorn thing. I’m starting to see why you get a kick out of this magic stuff.”

“I’ve always loved magic, ever since I was a kid. Though, it’s been years since I’ve done anything with plants.” Claudia said while stroking the petals of the teardrop flower. “Using the coals as a replicate was genius. How did you come up with that?”

Rayla shrugged, “I figured if a pretty close substitute like the scales from yesterday worked on your music box then why couldn’t it work for this one. I guess I have Callum to thank for that. He knows a lot about the old magic of Xadia you know.”

Claudia sat on the side of her bed, her enthusiasm dwindling down. “Yeah, he sure does.” She said sadly.

“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” Rayla asked, looking worried.

“No, no. Actually, Callum and I used to spend a lot of time reading about Xadia. My dad said it was a waste of time.” Claudia lowered her voice in a poor attempt to mimic her father’s tone, “If you’re going to read anything about these monsters you should at least read about how dangerous they are, not fantasize about riding them!”

Rayla laughed so hard she felt her stomach was about to split open. She wiped a single tear from her right eye.

“You two were pretty close, weren’t you?” Rayla said. As soon as she said it she felt a twinge in her chest. She ignored it.

“Yeah. Callum was like the little brother I never had. The kind of brother who you don’t want to see eating the pancakes you stuffed with worms just to get back at him for taking the last honey cake.”

Rayla laughed at the mental image of Soren stuffing his face with pancakes only to spit them out the moment he bit into one of the worms. Claudia smiled fondly at the memory of little Callum’s big green eyes sparkling whenever they talked about faeries and Xadia. His love for the creatures never wavered with age. If anything, it had only grown stronger.

“Whatever happened between you?” Rayla asked, almost afraid of what Claudia might answer.

Claudia shrugged in a melancholy manner, “I don’t know. I guess it mostly started when I was moving up to advanced magic. I remember running through the castle hallways screaming his name, I was so excited to show him everything I could do. I was so sure he’d be happy for me. But, when I finally got the chance... he stared at me with this look in his eyes. His skin turned pale and his hands began to shake. It was like he was living his own worst nightmare. Then he ran off crying and after that we sort... drifted apart, I guess.”

Claudia rubbed her eyes with the end of her palm, fighting back a sob. Rayla’s heart ached and her first instinct was to sit beside the mage and envelop her in a comforting hug. She fought the urge, knowing that it would probably be weird seeing as they still barely knew each other but seeing her cry like that over losing her best friend... it was painful.

“Ever since, whenever dark magic gets brought up, we just wind up fighting.” Claudia looked down at her hands, folded on her lap. The snake sprite on her shoulder slithered down from her arm and coiled its body around her fingers. “I know not a lot of people like dark magic but the way he looked at me, the way he still looks at me sometimes... it’s like he thinks I’m a monster.”

Ouch. Rayla felt that like a punch to the gut. She felt the same way when Callum talked about his past friendship with Claudia and Soren yesterday.

“I’m sure he doesn’t really think that way,” Rayla said.

“Of course he does.”

“No. No, he doesn’t.” Rayla’s gentle voice caught Claudia almost off guard. “It’s not my place to pry and I really think you and him should be the ones to talk about it, but I know for a fact that Callum does not hate you, Claudia. You may disagree on this one thing but Callum has never spoken ill of you. Not once.”

Claudia looked down at the snake sprite slithering around her fingers, looking up with her big dark brown eyes, as if agreeing with Rayla’s words. But Claudia wasn’t so sure. The look Callum gave her was permanently marked into her brain like an ugly scar. Claudia never meant to scare Callum but she’d be lying if she didn’t feel a bit insulted by his response. Not even King Harrow reacted with such distance towards Viren when he performed his spells, but Callum he couldn’t bear to be in the same room as here whenever he detected even the tiniest whiff of a dead animal.

A part of Claudia wanted Callum to understand but he was so hung up in his fairytales and stories of old to see that this was the closest thing to magic humans could ever hope to be.

“Can I ask you something?” Rayla asked after a long pause between them. Claudia nodded. “Why do you have so much faith in dark magic? I ask because I want to understand.”

“Well, the way I see it, humans weren’t born with a natural connection to magic. We were born with nothing. But, we still found a way to do amazing things and made us equal with the faes and dragons.”

“By stealing?”

“It’s not stealing? You just take creatures that are born with magic, squeeze it out of them, and...” Claudia cut herself short at Rayla’s unamused expression. Claudia really wasn’t helping her case, if anything she was only reinforcing Rayla’s words from the other night when she voiced her thoughts at the dinner table. How could one claim they were on par with magical creatures if they used said creatures to power their magic?

“Yeah, okay, fine.” Claudia dropped her hand in surrender.

“Then if a part of you knows this is true then there has to be another reason, right?”

Claudia was surprised that Rayla, instead of chastising her, was still taking the time to actually understand the mage’s perspective on things. It was... kind of refreshing, actually. Nobody, not even her father, was patient enough to listen to Claudia’s personal opinions, probably because she didn’t share them much herself. So long as she did what was asked of her instead of fighting the system them everything will function as it should and she wouldn’t have to fear losing any more members of her family.

“There is, actually. It’s something that brought me and my dad closer. Like how gardening used to do for me and my mom.”

This piqued Rayla’s interest. “What was your mother like?” She asked. Something changed in Claudia when she spoke of her mother. When she talked about her father she was guarded and alert, but when she spoke of her mother it was like peeling off the petal of a flower one by one.

Claudia didn’t feel ready to share a whole lot just yet but, she hadn’t spoken about her mother in a long time. She dared not speak about it in front of her father, knowing how difficult the divorce was on him.

“She was amazing. Smart, beautiful, funny. She was a florist, the best in Katolis. People came from all over just to buy her tulips, and roses and forget-me-nots. She was also a little weird too. She used to make this tiny house for the snakes around our yard as a reward for devouring the rats that tried to eat our tomatoes.” Claudia laughed at the memory and Rayla found herself laughing too. She could definitely see where Claudia got her quirkiness.

“Where is she now?”

This was where Claudia went silent. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed and Rayla gasped, a rand reaching to cup her mouth.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, no, it’s okay. She... she passed away a long time ago.”

Another child who had lost her mother. Now Rayla understood why Callum became fast friends with Soren and Claudia in the past and why he still held fond memories of them. They were probably the only ones who understood him growing up, which made their current distance all the more heartbreaking.

“My dad hasn’t been the same since. That’s why I don’t like arguing with him. I just want to see him happy.”

“ _Is_ he happy?” Rayla asked. Maybe Viren expressed his joy differently than most people.

“I... I want to believe that he is,” Claudia said, lowering her head and pulling her raven hair over her shoulder to run her fingers through it. “I do the best I can to keep my family together. And, if dark magic can do that then... so be it.”

“But do _you_ like it?” Rayla asked. She felt there was something the mage wasn’t entirely sharing, something hidden behind her grief and sorrow that even she was scared to tread.

“I like magic,” Claudia confessed. Aside from Callum and at one point Soren, Rayla was the only other person to ever as Claudia what she felt about dark magic. The moment she showed and interest in magic at all was the day Viren practically hand gifted her first spellbook. Admittedly, even Claudia was scared about harming innocent creatures until her father showed her that she had nothing to fear and that after a while she would feel nothing.

When the snake sprite circled around her lap Claudia did feel something. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time, and ever since she was young she just accepted dark magic as the only way she would ever achieve the things she only ever read about in books. Books she and Callum used to read together.

“So, _if_ there were an alternative way of doing magic, would you be open to it?” Rayla asked.

Claudia thought about it and the answer came a lot quicker than she expected. “Yeah. I guess I would. But, there isn’t.”

“Really? Because the evidence says otherwise.” Rayla showcased the fixed up music box and vial of hot green liquid on the table as though they were treasures behind a curtain. Rayla got up from the chair and sat next to Claudia on her bed. The snake sprites flew above them, the emerald one curling around Claudia’s writs and tickling her chin with her tiny fork tongue.

“You say humans are nothing without magic, but I don’t think that’s true. Your mother made you and others happy with her cheerful attitude and love of flowers. She gave you beautiful memories to cherish forever. What could be more magical than that? Maybe there’s more to magic than we think. And maybe there’s more to you too.”

The entire time Claudia and Rayla spent together the mage was wrestling with the guilt that was eating away at her insides. Her father tasked her and Soren to spy on Rayla to see if she posed any threat. But how could someone so sweet, and so generous to the point she was ready to take the fall for her just like that without knowing her for very long, ever possibly be evil.

It would be so easy for Claudia to just roll over and obey her father, dismiss Rayla as someone who was manipulating her, but what did Claudia think? Well, she thought Rayla was kind of awesome. She was nice and funny, and working together on this experiment was the most fun Claudia had in years. The way she spoke about her mother made her eyes sting with tears wanting to burst out of her system but Claudia held herself together miraculously well. 

“You are one strange person, Rayla.”

“Takes one to know one.”

Claudia laughed, her left arm snaked around her stomach and she slapped the side of her bed where her pillows laid. Claudia wiped a tear, “Do you think maybe we could keep this to ourselves? I don’t know if I want to tell my father just yet. I will tell just... not right away, I don’t know if now’s the best time.”

Rayla pretended to zip her lips together. “Mum’s the word. But if I may be so blunt, your father would be insane not to be proud of you. This could change everything.”

“Let’s not get too carried away. Just because a couple of spells worked doesn’t mean they all will.”

“If you really want another person’s perspective you could always ask Callum. He really knows about this sort of stuff.”

Claudia curled and uncurled her fingers on her lap. “I don’t know.”

“It could be a good way to start mending things. Have you two ever talked about what happened?”

“Sort of. Kind of. Not... completely, I guess?” Claudia blushed while looking at her hands. “I didn’t think he’d want to talk about it.”

“It may not be easy but what would be the point of being friends if you’re only faithful when it’s easy?”

Claudia thought about it. It would be nice to be friends with Callum again, to laugh and joke like they used to. “As I said; you are peculiar. But, you may have a point. I’ll think about it. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“Oh, but just to be clear, there is _nothing_ else going on between me and Callum. I like him, but I don’t _like_ -like him so you have no reason to feel threatened.”

Rayla felt the heat rising to her face. “What? Wh—Why would I—?” she scoffed, “No, no, no.”

“I knew it! You do like Callum!” Claudia squealed and started poking Rayla’s shoulder with a huge clown-like grin on her face.

“What?! No, I don’t! Why would I? I mean, sure he’s nice and smart and funny but that doesn’t mean I like him.”

“Oh please, I’ve seen the way you flirt with him.”

“I do not flirt! I think inhaling potion fumes has made you a little loopy.”

“Don’t play coy, you shameless little floozy.”

Rayla feigned disgust and as payback she threw one of Claudia’s pillows at her face, knocking the mage down on her own bed. Claudia burst out laughing and threw another pillow at Rayla in return. The blond accepted the challenge and the two girls were slapping each other with pillows, laughing, and coughing up feathers. 

A knock on the door alerted the girls and the snake sprites. “Claudia, are you in there?”

The girls gasped and hurried to put everything back in its place while hiding the potion vials and items from the table. Claudia placed the pillows back in their place while the snake sprites picked up the loose feathers with their tails and mouths. Rayla lifted the ends of the bedsheets and told the snake sprites to hide underneath the bed.

“Come in, Dad,” Claudia responded quickly. She and Rayla stood perfectly still with their hands behind their backs in front of the door. Viren’s brows rose slightly when he saw the blond girl in his daughter’s room.

“Oh. I didn’t realize you had company.”

“Rayla was just... uh...”

“I got lost.” Rayla jumped in, “Claudia found me wandering aimlessly in the corridor.”

“I see,” Viren replied. His tone was difficult to read, they couldn’t tell if he was buying it or not. “I was looking for you all day Claudia. Where have you been?”

“I was... I was...” Claudia searched her brain for a believable excuse.

“In the market. I ran into her earlier today.” Rayla intervened again and gave Claudia a slight elbow to elbow nudge.

“Yes! Yes, I wanted to spice up this new pancake recipe I’ve been working on, but I had to get there early and the lines were so monstrously long, and the stuff I needed was so sparse I went from place, to place, to place. It was insane.”

“She’s got the blisters to prove it,” Rayla said, earning a glare from Claudia. “What, you’re the one who went on and on about getting past that mob of kids just to get to the last batch of chocolate chips.”

Viren shuddered in discomfort. “Yes, I know the feeling all too well.”

Both Claudia and Rayla sighed in relief. “Anyway, I should be heading to bed. Thanks again for the directions, Claudia.” Rayla gave the mage a knowing wink.

“You’re welcome.” Claudia waved as Rayla exited the room, feeling a chill as she walked by Viren who stepped aside for her to leave. Claudia didn’t like admitting it but having her dad here sucked out whatever joy and fun remained in the room.

“I see you two have become acquainted,” Viren said.

“Yeah. She’s really not so bad.”

“Don’t be too eager to trust, Claudia.”

Finally, after everything that’s happened, Claudia groaned in frustration. “Dad, I know you just want to protect everyone but don’t you think you’re overdoing it just a tiny bit? From what I’ve have seen, Rayla is not dangerous. She just wants to find her family.”

“Even if what she says about herself is true—“

“Why would she lie? Seriously, what did this poor girl ever do to you? That she says things you don’t agree with? It would hardly be the first time.”

Claudia quickly covered her mouth. She didn’t mean to sound so harsh but even she had to admit her father could get a bit overboard sometimes, she just didn’t always have the courage to tell him. Her mother never held back when it came to speaking her mind so Claudia made sure to be wary of how she acted around Viren so he wouldn’t relive those painful memories. But, being the emotional teenager that she was, sometimes those outbursts slipped out before she could control it.

She shouldn’t have tried to start an argument with her father, he was only trying to protect Katolis from danger but... how dangerous could one girl be?

“Dad, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to—“

“No, no,” Viren said, cupping his daughter’s face. “You are absolutely right. I did let my paranoia get the better of me, so much so that I tried to make an enemy out of a helpless little girl.”

“Will you be okay, Dad?”

“Of course. Thank you for talking some sense into me. What would I do without you?” Viren kissed his daughter’s forehead. “Goodnight, Claudia.”

“Goodnight, Dad. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Viren closed the door and Claudia flopped on her chair. The snake sprites flew out from under her bed and flew above her head. The emerald snake sprite pressed her forehead against the mage’s forehead again. She heard a tap on the window and saw the snake sprites’ mother waving with her tail.

“Looks like Mommy’s here to pick you up.” Claudia opened the window and the snake sprites flew out to greet their mom. The emerald snake sprite hissed sadly and Claudia let her wrap her tail around her finger.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow, okay. If you find any more magical plants, let me know.” Claudia giggled when the snake sprite bopped the tip of her nose with her tail. The snake sprites flew off into the forest and Claudia closed the window, spinning the liquid of the heating potion in front of her face.

Claudia couldn’t believe she had spoken up to her father like that, nobody else had the courage to do that aside from King Harrow, but it was understandable seeing as he was the king and all. No, the only other person who was brave enough to challenge Viren was...

Her mother, Rebeca.

Even after all these years, she could still hear their yelling penetrating through the thick stone walls of her childhood bedroom. Viren was never one who took criticisms very well, and Rebeca was never one to shy from her opinions. The day her mother left was the last time she saw her father cry. She swore from that day onward she wouldn’t do anything to hurt her father again. This was why she did everything she could not anger or antagonize him, but being a teenager with mood swings did lead to the occasional slip-up.

Her mother was strong in mind but also patient and sympathetic. She would sit beside Claudia and talk to her whenever she felt lonely or scared. Her voice and humor never failed to lift her spirits. Those snake sprites were lucky to have their mother around. Claudia was thankful she didn’t go along with her original plans and let their mother live.

As Claudia spun the potion inside the vial, watching the luminescent liquid rocking back and forth like tiny waves, she thought about what she should do. She really wanted to share this discovery with her father but she choose now wasn’t the best time. Just because a couple of spells worked in an untraditional way didn’t mean they would all have the same results. She still needed to do more research.

The idea of working with plants again filled Claudia with a sense of euphoric nostalgia. For the first time in years, Claudia had somehow rekindled that connection with her mother. 

So much for ‘ _don’t think about it_ ’. This was something she didn’t have the heart to let go, maybe if she didn’t it could bring a smile to her father’s face again. Hopefully, one that will stick.

(~)

The tender smile on Viren’s face was replaced by a scornful frown. His daughter had been won over by this new girl, just like Soren, and Harrow, and the princes.

Why did it bother him so much? What was it about this child that made him resent her? Claudia was right, she hadn’t done anything to anyone and all evidence pointed to the obvious: she was a normal human girl with memory loss waiting for her family to suddenly appear and whisk her back to her old life.

Viren was released from his personal thoughts when she stopped in front of a painting of Queen Sarai and her family. The image of a blissfully happy family filled his chest with envy and sadness. He shared King Harrow’s grief, for he too had lost a wife. First, he lost her to divorce then he lost her to death. Viren never gave up the hope that he could one day win his wife back, but she left this world before he ever got the chance. He swore from that day forward that he would never lose anyone ever again, no matter what the cost.

This kingdom, it’s people had suffered for too long, one way or another, he will find a way to rid the world of what they feared most. But, in the meantime, maybe he really should head his daughter’s words. Perhaps he had allowed his worries to get the best of him and see enemies where there weren’t any. He told himself that from here on out he would stop worrying about the girl, Rayla.

No matter how irritated her very presence made him feel.

(~)

Another week had gone by and General Amaya continued the search for Rayla’s family. They sent word to the neighboring kingdoms, complete with a beautifully accurate sketch of Rayla’s face (curtesy of Callum). It would be a while before they heard any responses but until then Rayla choose not to dwell on it. If she did she knew she would go completely bananas. Instead, she choose to relax and enjoy her time with the royal family.

When she wasn’t sending time with the royal princes Rayla could also be found mingling with the castle staff. She hunted down that kindly nurse she met on her first day here and apologized for having run off like that. The nurse easily forgave Rayla and even offered to make her that soup she never got to taste.

Whenever Rayla saw the handmaidens struggling with a chore she didn’t hesitate to lend a helping hand. She learned that she was very fast, catching a falling vase before it hit the ground all the while balancing a tray of food on her head when one of the maids tripped on one of the castle rugs.

One day, the guards were surprised to find that Rayla had polished all of their weapons and armor. She claimed it was because she woke up earlier than normal and noticed how filthy the swords and shields were and thought it would help past the time, plus she felt the castle guard needed to look their best.

Rayla found herself drawn to the beauty and valor of the knights, especially sword fighting but didn’t do anything to actively pick up a sword. It was just something she found fascinating. When Callum caught wind of her interest he took her to the Hall of Valor. A room specifically meant to hold the portraits and weapons of fallen warriors through the ages. At the very end of the elongated room was a stone tablet put on display in a glass case. Rayla swiped the dust off of the glass surface and read the words carved onto the tablet.

“The Old Code,” Callum explained, “It’s been passed down from the first knights long before the human kingdoms.”

Rayla read the code in her mind: _A knight is sworn to valor. His heart defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked_.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Some legends say that this code was passed down by the great Draco himself.”

“I’ve noticed a lot of your stories keep circling back to Draco,” Rayla said, still admiring the words carved onto the ancient stone.

“He was the oldest and wisest dragon, probably even the first. A lot of his stories depict him as a friend to all creatures. In some places, he was even worshiped as a god.”

“How ironic that a culture so afraid of dragons would also happen to have this such history about them.”

“Humans are complicated.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

(~)

Ever since that night, Rayla hadn’t heard much from Claudia. The mage came and went which many shrugged off as a common occurrence. Like her father, she had a habit of popping in and out of places when one least expected it. Either it was a form of magic of they were just really good at sneaking up on people.

Every now and again Rayla would catch Claudia going to and from her room, the mage would wave and remind Rayla to keep silent as she went about her research. She would occasionally find Rayla and ask for her opinion but she had yet to try and talk to Callum. Claudia was still too afraid of a potential argument that she started to avoid him.

That is, until one day when Callum and Ezran decided to show Rayla a secret room in the library which was mostly a room filled with old copies of various books from the older version of the library long before Harrow was born. Viren insisted these books weren’t needed but Harrow believed the information they carried could be of some use one day in the possible future. So he kept them under lock and key. A key that Callum was fortunate to have a copy of, seeing as the king trusted his sons to keep things in order while inside the room that was shrouded in cobwebs and dust bunnies everywhere.

Most books in the restricted room contained information about ancient dark spells that hadn’t been practiced in years, primarily because the creatures used to perform said spells had been harvested to extinction. Creatures like the sea-dwelling Leviathan, the earth giant is known as the Behemoth and the ancestor of the Phoenix known as the Ziz who’s wings were said could bring water and rain during the driest parts of the year and their feathers had been harvested to spells so humans could command the weather.

Learning about this broke Rayla’s heart and only reinforced her earlier claims that the more dark magic was used more and more beautiful creatures would die, and this the mages would have no again whatsoever.

When Callum reached for the door only to find that it was already opened. “That’s strange. It’s unlocked.” Callum knew it wasn’t opened by a key, he had a keen eye and knew from experience that the lock had been picked by someone. But who else would break into this room?

Callum went in first, holding up the lantern to illuminate his way. Once he reached the bottom of the short plight of stairs he heard a loud noise.

“Hello? Who’s there?” Callum called out. He moved his body in front of Ezran and Rayla and aimed the lantern’s light to a shelf that was covered in cobwebs. A shiny bright green snake with butterfly wings slithered out. More and more snake sprites flew out.

“Snake sprites? What are they doing here?” Callum asked.

The bookshelf trembled, followed by someone yelling, “Ouch!”

“Claudia?” The trio was surprised to see the dark mage stepping out from behind the shelf. She waved shyly.

“Heh-hey guys.”

“How did you get in here?” Callum asked in an accusing tone.

“It wasn’t easy, I had to go through like thirty hairpins. That kid from the Jinn and the Carpet made it look so easy.”

“Does your dad know you’re down here?”

“No, and you better not tell him!” Claudia said defensively.

“Hey, hey! Let’s not argue.” Rayla came between the mage and prince before any more harsh words could be said. “I’m sure Claudia has a good explanation.”

“Does that explanation include where these snake sprites came from?” Callum said while pointing to said snake sprites which had spread out across the room, hovering over dusty bookshelves and old statues of lions and griffins. Some were even dusting off the cobwebs with their tails reminding Callum of those fairytales where cute woodland animals would aid the protagonist with dusting a cottage or escaping a near-impossible task.

“Relax, if I wanted to use them for a spell I would have done it already. Which I won’t.” Claudia said as one of the snake sprites landed on her head. Callum blinked and shook his head as though trying to wake up from a dream. Since when did Claudia befriend fae creatures before squashing them? Buttering them up so she could use them when later? No, he thought. Even for Claudia that was needlessly cruel.

From the looks of it, her interactions with the snake sprites were very genuine. What could have happened to her to cause such a sudden change? It was kind of a miracle.

“What you got there, Claudia?” Ezran asked, innocently pointing at the book behind Claudia’s back.

Rayla read the indecision on her face. Whenever they would pass each other in the hallways Rayla would detect the faint smell of plants and flowers and notice dirt on her boots with one or more snake sprites hiding either in her bag or under her cloak.

Claudia hasn’t attempted to make any new spells recently, she was mainly studying specific plants and writing down notes. Rayla was the only one Claudia felt comfortable sharing her findings with. As promised, Rayla didn’t say a word to anyone, though she continued to encourage Claudia to share the news with Callum, knowing he of all people would understand and want to help her. Claudia was hesitant and fearful of what the prince would say and now after she had been doing so well, she was caught red-handed.

Rayla nodded her head, encouraging Claudia to he honest. This could be the perfect opportunity for the two old friends to reconnect again. Claudia caved into Rayla’s well-intentioned instance and showed the princes the book she had been hiding. Callum held the lantern up and read the words imprinted on the cover.

“ _The complete works of Mage Meadowbrook_.” Callum knew he heard the name before.

“Wasn’t she that old lady who lived in a swamp?” Ezran asked.

“She was also a well-renowned mage in her time. Before the great divide. I’ve been doing some research on her work.”

“But you always said that Meadowbrook was antiquated? That most modern mages regard her as a glorified nurse who was more skilled in medicine than actual magic?” Callum said, not doing a very good job at hiding his distance for Claudia’s close-mindedness.

“Technically, my dad said all of those things. Which, I also technically did repeat,” Claudia muttered that last sentence under her breath while scratching the back of her ear. “But you have to admit, there is a lot of interesting stuff in here!”

Claudia opened the book and flipped through the pages landing on a random illustration of Mage Meadowbrook tending to an ailing alligator with what appeared to be a flower with mystical mist streaming out of it, surrounded by a swarm of luminescent will-o-wisps.

Callum jaw was so open in shock that a fly almost flew into it, only to be eaten by one of the snake sprites that flew by. Was this Claudia? The same Claudia who always said that the old magic wasn’t ‘real’ and was used by the dragons as a means to keep humans in line?

“Who are you and what have you done with Claudia?”

“Check her arms for warts!” Ezran shouted and grabbed Claudia’s hand, pulling back her sleeve to inspect her. “No warts, she’s not a troll in disguise.”

“Of course I’m not a troll!” Claudia pulled her sleeve down. “Look, I know this all seems really sudden but I do have an explanation.” Claudia took in a deep breath and told the boys everything. Really, really quickly.

“Okay, so you remember when I broke my mother’s music box and I had to use a snake sprite to use a restoration spell to fix it, but Rayla wasn’t having it so I let the mother go and then she gave me a vial of those spores with the tiny baby snake scales and it worked! Then the next morning the snake sprites showed up on my window with these Chimera Fangs—the plant, not the actual teeth—which were supposed to be extinct so I went into the woods and climbed a mountain where I found them inside a cave and then last night Rayla helped me complete a potion by using coal and the plants I found and, get this, it also worked! So now I’m starting to think maybe there’s something to this old magic stuff unless I was hallucinating which is unlikely because Rayla was there and she saw the results, now the snake sprites are helping me find more hidden Xadian plants and I’ve been researching books about the old magic which I can only find in here, and I’m actually surprised at how much information there is on the subject and now I have so many more questions and I can’t stop now!”

Callum’s mouth was still open in shock, as was Ezran’s and Bait’s, mostly because Claudia just spewed all of that exposition in a single breath without passing out. Rayla just stood there, surprised and a bit disturbed by Claudia’s motor mouth skills.

“Was there anything you missed? I could go again.”

“NO!” The princes and Rayla exclaimed. There was no need for that a second time.

“No, no, I’m just... a little surprised. Okay, more than a little, I’m very surprised.” Callum said while running his hand through his messy hair. “A lot surprised, actually.” He turned to Rayla. “You knew about this?”

“Yeah, I did. I’m sorry, I wanted to tell but I promised Claudia I wouldn’t tell say anything until she was ready to tell you herself. But, maybe she’s ready now?” Rayla gently pulled Claudia close to the three of them. A snake sprite still on her shoulder.

Claudia brushed a long strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes to the floor at her taping foot while her fingers drummed on the book’s cover. Callum couldn’t believe it. Not only had Rayla and Claudia uncovered proof that the old magic really did work, but that she wasn’t stubbornly trying to brush it under the rug like she normally did. Claudia wasn’t the type of person to believe in something unless she saw it with her own eyes. A trait she shared with her father and older brother.

Callum scratched the back of his neck. It’s been years since he and Claudia did anything like this together and now that it was happening he didn’t know how to respond. He looked to Rayla, still with one hand on Claudia’s shoulder. After their rocky introduction, the two were already on their way to becoming friends. Maybe Callum could try reaching out and reconnect with Claudia again. Maybe this time it will be different.

“What have you got so far?” Callum asked.

“What?”

“On your research. What’ve you got?”

Relief flooded Claudia’s insides and she could have sworn the half darkened room became a lot brighter. She really hoped Rayla was right and Callum didn’t hate her as much as she believed he did. The group cleared out a table and laid down the book for all to read from its pages. Callum secured the lantern on a hook and submerged themselves in the words of the page.

(~)

The minutes flew by and before they knew it, it was half-past midday but the group was so submerged in the endless sea of knowledge that time became nothing short of a distant memory. Ezran and Bait weren’t even thinking about lunch, which was a miracle in of itself. The pages of the books were their only source of consumption right now.

The young prince and his glow toad, along with several of the snake sprites resting on their heads, were halfway done with another book about _Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them_ , by Newton Scamander. Rayla was reading a book about dragons, naturally. Though her find led her to find an old illuminated text about the Tuatha Dé Dannan.

The manuscript depicted beautiful forests, fields, and meadows. One picture filled two whole pages, a clearing surrounded by tall stones with rune carvings. In the center was a celestial dragon, it’s primal form rising upwards into the sky while on the ground was a humanoid form with horns and a long flowing dress made of the stars and moonlight. Rayla couldn’t pry her eyes off of the image and tried to translate the ancient text. It was written in old Katolian so she struggled with figuring out the words. The longer she stared at the words she began to realize the letters had started to rearrange themselves. Was it all in her head or where the letters actually changing?

She could make out a couple of letters and whispered the only words she could translate. The world around her disappeared, as though she were lost in a dream.

“ _Tir... Nah... Nog..._ ”

“No way!”

Rayla gasped, coughing on the dust cloud that seeped out of the pages when she slammed the book closed. Claudia’s excitable yell was the only thing that snapped Rayla out of her groggy state. She placed the book back in its place, trying to forget whatever it was she saw. Probably her mind playing tricks, or a consequence from reading a book in a corner where there was little lighting.

She walked over to Callum and Claudia, who were still taking notes from Meadowbrook’s book on various sheets of paper. Callum doodled a few images on his notes. Rayla smiled seeing the two old friends reconnecting again.

“Look at these recipes. Healing tonic for swamp fever, how to train fireflies, and will-o-wisps with musical notes. This lady was incredible!”

“I know!” Callum agreed, his eyes wide with wonder, “If your dad ever found out you were reading this stuff he’d slip!”

“Which is why I’m not telling him.”

Ezran and Callum both gasped, “Y-you’re keeping secrets from your dad?” Ezran said in shock and Bait actually fainted.

“No! No, no, no. I’m doing research to gather enough evidence to support my theories. Once I’m sure I’ve gathered enough I’ll show him my findings. So it’s not so much as ‘keeping a secret’ more like keeping a low profile until I’ve made a conclusive find. You can’t believe something without hard evidence, you know.”

Rayla gave a nonchalant shrug, “I suppose. But at the same time, you don’t need your eyes to see the wind.”

“Seriously, she is always saying stuff like that,” Claudia said to Callum, who nodded in agreement, then said to Rayla, “You should write this stuff down.”

“Already did,” Ezran said, having written the words Rayla just said in his little notebook. The three teenagers stared in a mixture of surprise and confusion. “What? If this whole king thing doesn’t work out I wanna try my hand at being a writer.”

“Still, evidence or no, it’s nice that we get to do this again,” Callum said, giving Claudia a friendly nudge on the arm. “I’m having a lot of fun.”

“Me too, Cal.” Claudia ruffled his hair like she used to do when they were little and went back to her notes only to notice Callum’s stunned expression. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just... you haven’t called me ‘Cal’ in years.”

Claudia blinked, almost dropping her pages covered in scribbled notes and words with poor drawings of random items to help her remember important details. The nickname just slipped out without much thought.

“Huh. I didn’t notice.”

Rayla was smiling so much she felt her cheeks were starting to hurt. Seeing Claudia and Callum having fun together instead of arguing just felt right. That this was exactly how it was supposed to be. She half expected to feel perhaps a twinge of envy but to her surprise, and relief, she didn’t. Claudia made it clear that her feelings towards Callum were that of a brother and sister, and it was evident that Callum felt the same way. But that wasn’t what mattered, what did matter was that two estranged friends were reconnecting again.

Rayla suddenly felt something against her chest. Not so much as an emotion but more like a thumping in her heart, or an electrical current zapping her into reality again. A ghostly melody filled her ears, making all other voices distant. She looked around her but didn’t see anything. The music wasn’t coming from one instrument or voice, it swirled around her like a gentle breeze. 

Rayla ignored it and went back to listening to Callum and Claudia geeking out about another new nugget of information they found.

(~)

One day, Ezran and Rayla snuck into the kitchen to grab some jelly tarts but were caught by the chef. Rayla once again jumped in to help, offering the baker a chance to make amends with the prince: By having Ezran be his cooking assistant for the day to make up for the jelly tarts he ate. If Ezran did well then he would be rewarded him with free jelly tarts.

Ezran agreed, thinking it would be fun to actually make jelly tarts for once and experience first hand the process that went into making them. By the end of it, all the prince was coated in flower from head to toe, even the inside of his shoes he could find remains of the white powder. It was hard work because Ez was not only baking jelly tarts but also assisting the cook with the rest of the meals.

Cooking the meals and baking the tarts was a lot of fun, but also a lot of hard work, which made Ezran better appreciate the cook’s position. Rayla didn’t just stay there watching though, she did her part, but she admittedly wasn’t the best cook so she instead stuck to gathering ingredients and wiping clean the surfaces once they were done.

When the job was done Ezran, the cook, and Rayla all sat down together and ate the jelly tarts. Ezran agreed that jelly tarts tasted a lot better made than stollen.

When King Harrow found out about this he was beside himself with both pride and surprise. Not only did Ezran prove to be an effectively hard worker but Rayla had proven herself to be a natural peacemaker.

(~)

A couple of days later, Harrow had to regretfully cancel his and Ezran’s hide and seek game due to an important meeting. He promised to make up for it later. When he returned he laughed when he saw Bait on Rayla’s head while she “searched” for him. She knew Ezran was hiding behind a pillar so she kept up the charade for his amusement. Harrow signaled to his son to be quiet as he snuck up from behind Rayla and snatched the glow toad from her head.

“Found him!” Harrow announced and Ezran ran out from his hiding place to hug his father’s legs.

(~)

With Ezran tagging along, Callum decided to show Rayla the rest of the village. Soren couldn’t escort them that day so another guard, one who was female, did so in his place. She didn’t speak much and mostly kept a permanently neutral expression, even when Rayla tried to initiate small talk. It would seem not all guards were as chatty as Soren. Funny, she was actually beginning to miss his obnoxious voice. At least he wasn’t a complete stick-in-the-mud. She and Callum had a good laugh about it.

This part of town wasn’t as crowded or as detailed as the Trader’s Market, which was what made it so refreshing. Rayla felt she could just relax and enjoy the atmosphere. There weren’t any minstrels playing music today but there were stands with flowers and delicious looking fruits that shined like polished jewels. Callum watched as Rayla admired the roses that came in white, red, and yellow, but there was one rose with a powdered pink around the tip of its petals. The rest of the roses were fully opened, but this one was still a bud. It was smaller compared to the others but that’s exactly what made it so unique.

Callum saw Rayla eyeing the rosebud, tracing over the pattern of the roses with her fingers. The vendor noticed her intrigue. Callum walked up to the vendor and reached for his wallet. “How much for it?” He asked.

The vendor pulled the rosebud from the rest and kindly gave it to Rayla. “No charge, your highness. A lovely gift for the lovely lady.”

Rayla and Callum blushed at the man’s compliment. “Thank you, Sir. That’s very kind of you.” Callum nodded to the man then politely led Rayla away, both of their faces render than the roses.

“Thanks for the rose. That was very sweet.”

“You’re welcome.” Callum scratched his neck, “I noticed you were looking at it. N-Not that I was staring or anything, because that’d be creepy. I should just stop talking now.”

Rayla laughed, her cheeks dusted with a light pink hue to match her rose. Callum couldn’t deny the obvious truth: Rayla was absolutely beautiful.

(~)

The two sat on a bench in the park, the rose tucked behind Rayla’s ear, while Ezran and Bait played hopscotch with a group of kids. They were a bit surprised to see the crowned prince and even a bit intimidated, but after Rayla played a few rounds with Ezran the kinds felt more comfortable to approach him.

“He looks like he’s having fun,” Rayla said, subtly sneaking a look at Callum’s sketchbook. He was capturing the moment of Ezran and the kids playing in perfect detail.

“Yeah. Ezran’s usually pretty shy around kids his own age. It doesn’t help that most of the kids he grew up with were always older than him.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Rayla said. Ezran grew up around adults and kids that were older than him, so it did make sense he would struggle with befriending others his age. “He seems to be doing pretty good right now, though.”

“Thanks to you. You really build up his confidence.”

“He’s a good kid. Easily likable, just like his brother.”

Callum blushed at the compliment. Rayla snuck another peek at Callum’s sketch. He captured his baby brother’s smile flawlessly. The young prince was laughing and skipping into the air as though he could jump up and fly while the village children clapped and cheered. Rayla noticed that when Callum took a short break from drawing to watch Ezran he spun his charcoal pencil with his fingers. The pencil spun from one finger to the next and at one point the pencil flew up out of Callum’s hand only for him to catch it without even looking.

“You’ve got some fast fingers,” Rayla commented.

“Huh? Oh, this?Just something I do when I’m deep thinking. Habit, I guess.” Callum moved the pencil, every now and again throwing it into the air and catching and spinning it as though it were a baton.

After Ezran was done playing with the kids the group went out for ice cream. Ezran had a double scoop chocolate ice cream Sunday, Callum had a caramel drizzle and Rayla had strawberry delight. Ezran’s face was smeared in chocolate syrup. Callum wiped his brother’s cheek with a napkin. Bait stuffed his face into an entire bowl of mint ice cream with chocolate chips, which were actually just dead flies. The owner of the shop knew what the princes, and their glow toad, liked. He was delightfully surprised when they brought a lovely new friend with them.

“I can’t remember the last time I ate something this good,” Rayla said after eating the last strawberry.

“You said the same thing about the cinnamon roll yesterday.” Callum jokingly pointed out.

“Yes, because it continues to be true.” Rayla raised an eyebrow at the prince, and Callum quickly caught on. He rose his hands in surrender and as a sign of apology, but couldn’t shake off the playful smile that made Rayla giggle. She loved that he could pick up on her facial cues so well. The guy paid close attention to detail. He was so adorable.

“So Ez, did you have fun with those kids?”

“Yeah, they said I could play hopscotch with them anytime. Thanks for helping me out with them, Rayla.” Ezran began fiddling with his fingers, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but, I’m not very good at talking to kids my age.”

“Whaaaaaaa? You? No way!” Rayla said in an exaggeratedly dramatic fashion.

“It’s true! Don’t let my charm and handsome face fool you, lady. I’m a riddle wrapped in an enigma.”

“Hey, that makes two of us. High five, enigma buddy.”

Ezran accepted Rayla’s high five. Bait croaked sadly, giving Rayla big puppy dog eyes and his coloring turned a sad gray.

“You too, frog.”

Bait’s coloring changed from gray to bright orange and he slapped his front paw against Rayla’s hand. The group laughed and continued enjoying their ice cream until it was time to return to the castle.

(~)

The next day, Callum was in a damp mood. Probably because today he had another sword fighting section with Soren. Twice already the poor prince fell flat on his back. This time, Callum didn’t bother getting up. Rayla and Ezran looked over him, their silhouettes blocking half the sun.

“You think he’s dead?” Ezran asked.

“It’s his new combat move: Playing Possum.”

“Nobody can hit you if they think you’re already dead,” Callum said, pointing a finger towards the sky then flopped it on his stomach. Rayla and Ezran helped him get back up.

“If you hate this so much why don’t you just tell your dad?” Rayla said.

“I would but this was his idea and I don’t want to hurt his feelings. You know, he and my mom used to spar in this very spot.” Callum said, reminiscing about how he would occasionally watch his parents go head to head with each other.

“Alright, chit-chat over, your highness,” Soren said while tossing the wooden sword in Callum’s direction. “We’ve still got thirty minutes left to go.”

“Ouch!” Callum dropped the sword and clenched his leg, “Oh, ho! That hurts, prince down!” Callum flopped to the ground in an overly dramatic fashion. “I think I pulled a muscle! Or what little muscle I have! I guess we’ll have to cut this lesson short. Oh darn, and I was so looking forward to it.”

Rayla and Ezran weren’t buying his act for a second, but it was admittedly funny. Soren didn’t laugh but he knew the prince was faking it. Seeing as how he wanted to back out of this lesson just as much as he did, the guard decided to humor him for a bit.

“Well, if you’re feeling that bad I’ll go grab you some lemonade from the kitchen,” Soren said, swinging his fake sword and resting it on his shoulder as he walked off to retrieve the drink.

“You know I hate lemonade!” Callum called out.

“But I don’t!” Soren called out from across the courtyard towards the kitchen.

“Jerk,” Callum muttered as he sat in a lotus position. Rayla and Ezran sat on the ground next beside him.

“Well, if you feel you have to go through with this then why not mix things up a bit?” Rayla suggested.

“You mean like fake internal bleeding?”

Rayla laughed and gave Callum a slap to the arm. “No, you dummy. If swords aren’t working for ya then why not choose a different weapon of combat. How about archery?”

“Tried that, didn’t end well.” Callum winced. “You do not want to know the whole story.”

“You _really_ don’t,” Ezran said in a dry tone while slowly shaking his head with a look of warning in his eyes.

“Okay, then what about...” Rayla’s attention was drawn to a couple of guards practicing a few feet away. One was wielding a fake sword while the other was using a bow staff. Rayla studied the movements of the guard as he swung his staff, the way his hands and fingers moved, the speed and flexibility without even looking. That was when it struck her.

Rayla hurried to the other guards and tapped one’s shoulder, “Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to have an extra one of those staff thingies I could borrow?”

“Of course.” The guard said kindly and handed her another staff. “Here you are, Miss.”

“Thank you,” Rayla returned to Callum, who got up from the ground, dusting off the front of his pants and she tossed him the staff. “Think fast!”

The surprised prince managed to, very clumsily, catch the staff with both hands. “Am I supposed to hit a piñata with this?”

Rayla rolled her eyes and scoffed, “You’re funny. It’s a bow staff, silly.”

“A bow staff? That’s your alternative to a sword? A long stick with a higher probability of me waking myself in the head?”

Rayla took the staff back and started spinning it with one hand. Both Ezran and Callum were awestruck by Rayla’s skills, even Bait’s jaw dropped to the floor in, baffled. The nearby guards stopped their sparing to see the new girl toss the spinning staff into the air and grabbing it with ease.

“How long have you been able to do that?” Callum said, snapping out of his dumbfounded state and closed Ezran’s still open mouth.

“I just mimicked that trick you did with your pencil yesterday. Think of this as a slightly bigger version.” Rayla handed Callum the staff again and he swallowed loudly.

“Rayla, I’m flattered by your admirably misplaced faith in my pencil spinning talents but there is no way I can do what you just did.”

“You told me you couldn’t dance either and yet you proved that statement wrong. At least give it a try. If you don’t like it then we’ll try something else.”

“No pressure?”

“None at all.”

Rayla’s answer, coupled with her soft and understanding eyes, sent a swarm of butterflies loose in Callum’s stomach. Her un-shaking faith in what he was capable of wasn't something he was used to. Ezran nodded encouragingly while Bait hid behind the younger prince.

Callum took in a deep breath and tried to play around with the staff as he would his pencil. He struggled at first, dropping the stick at his first try. Rayla didn’t laugh, she smiled and nodded for him to pick it up and try again. The staff was a lot longer and thicker than his pencil, but also lighter than even his wooden practice sword.

When Callum dropped the staff again he groaned in humiliation, shaking his head and hiding his face with his hand. “See, I’m hopeless.”

Rayla picked up the staff, took Callum’s hand, and looked him straight in the eye. “You are _not_ hopeless, Prince Callum.” She put the staff in his hand again, closing his fingers around it, once again feeling the tingle of an electrical pulse. “You’ve got this.”

Callum’s eyes lingered where she just touched him and tightened his grip on the staff. Rayla gave him an encouraging nod and Callum took a deep breath. From his window, King Harrow observed curiously as Callum held up the staff.

Callum tightened his grip on the staff, taking in a deep breath. The wind picked up and Callum spun the staff once. He felt the wind currents brush against his face, sweeping his hair and the tail of his scarf. He spun the staff again, paying close attention to how the wind spun around behind the ends of the stick. Following where the wind was blowing, Callum spun the stick with one hand, taking Rayla’s advice and seeing the stick as a larger pencil. With that mindset, he felt more in control of the stick.

He felt the wind all around him, from the breeze sweeping into the courtyard to the air in his lungs. It was just like when he danced for the first time. There was a freezing sensation when it came to his movements. Maybe he could apply those movements to the staff? Worth a try.

Callum moved the stick from one hand to the other, moving his body in synchronization with the wind. Just like in the village square the other day, dancing with Rayla, his feet felt as lighter than air. The wind whistled in his ear and he let himself go. He tossed the stick over his head and caught it perfectly in his hand. Callum gave a triumphant laugh as he stood there with his outstretched hand, holding the stick into the sky.

From the window above Harrow stood frozen in place. Memories came flooding back, memories of his late wife moving with the same graceful and fast pace movements with her spear following her cues like an extension of her body.

Rayla jumped with elation and gave Callum a friendly punch to the arm. “Ha! I told you you could do it.”

Soren walked on over with a glass of lemonade in hand. “Whoa. I haven’t seen moves like that since Queen Sarai.” Soren said, without a shred of sarcasm or irony in his voice. He was genuinely in awe by what he saw. He remembered the times in which he would watch the legendary queen practice in the courtyard and the advice she would give him whenever he was feeling unsure of himself. She was always so kind to him... which only made him realize what a jerk he had been to her son. Soren knew why he treated Callum the way he did but it would be a cold day in the underworld if he ever told anyone.

Callum froze when he mentioned his mother’s name. Sarai was a skilled warrior just like her sister Amaya, but Callum never saw himself on their level. Not even close. But just now, Soren said he moved just like his mother. For a moment, Callum felt her standing beside him, beaming with pride at her little boy.

The guards that littered the courtyard gasped and bowed when King Harrow walked out to meet his sons, Rayla and Soren. The latter bowed when the king arrived. Callum almost bowed but didn’t when he felt his step-father’s kind eyes on him. Harrow looked as if he had seen a ghost, his skin was nearly drained of color and he barely blinked.

“Where did you learn that, Callum?”

“I... I was just playing around.” Callum replied, absentmindedly spinning the staff with one hand then immediately stopped once he realized what he was doing.

“Well, you were really good,” Harrow said, his smile growing wider.

“I thought so too.” Rayla said, winking in Callum’s direction, a non-verbal ‘I told you so’. “I’d say he’s even better at it than with a sword.”

“I agree. Don’t you, Soren?”

“Uh, with all due respect, your majesty, but I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of experience with this particular weapon,” Soren said. He was always better equipped with a sword than a spear. He knew the basics sure but not to the same level as the late queen or other guards. To Soren, the sword was the man’s preferred weapon of choice.

“Oh, then perhaps... I could teach you a couple of tricks.” Harrow offered, unable to slow down the corners of his mouth from turning upwards into an excited smile.

“Really? You would do that?” Callum said, feeling a sense of worry mixed with excitement rising up in his insides.

“I know a thing or two, and perhaps in a couple of years, you can upgrade to one with the silver pointy end,” Harrow said as he tapped on the flat wooden tip of the stick. “What do you say?”

Callum looked over his shoulder to Ezran and Rayla, both of which we're giving him a thumbs up and nodding, practically begging him to accept the king’s proposal.

Callum normally hated these lessons, getting knocked down by Soren and laughed at by the guards, them making bets on how long it would take for him to fall flat on either his face or his rump. But, him training with King Harrow, his step-father, and the man who knew his mother better than anyone else, it was both intimidating but also exciting.

Callum always struggled to find activities for him to share with his stepfather, and here he was with the chance to do just that. Callum gulped, his frightened side screaming at him to back down and run as quickly as he could, but the other side, the side eager to have that father-son bonding he’s heard so much about, was telling him to go for it.

Callum’s response was to swing his staff which Harrow snatched easily with one hand. “I take it that’s a ‘yes’. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you that move soon enough.”

Harrow led Callum to the center of the courtyard, already showing his step-son the proper stance for when holding a spear in battle. Callum had natural balance, which was ironic to say given his history with sword fighting and, well, everything else, but he was a natural with the stick.

Rayla, Ezran, and Soren watched from the sidelines. Ezran and Bait watching intensely, Ezran studying all of Callum’s movements and even writing down a couple of notes on his notebook. Just as Callum always carried his sketchbook with him, Ezran carried a small notebook where he would write down certain details that interested him. He wasn’t an artist like his brother but he was a gifted writer, probably more advanced than most kids his age.

Ezran sat under the shade of the tree, which still had the wooden sword jammed onto it. No guard has been able to yank it out without falling flat on their backs.

Rayla noticed the distant look on Soren’s face. Was he... deep thinking? She didn’t think it was possible for him. Okay, maybe she shouldn’t be so quick to judge. After all, his sister wasn’t what she had originally expected either, it was only fair she made a genuine effort to get to know him as well.

“He’s a natural, isn’t he?” Rayla said, gently nudging Soren’s side to get a reaction out of him.

“Yeah. King Harrow was a fierce warrior back in his time.”

“Well, sure but I was also referring to Callum.”

“Give it ten seconds, he’ll slip.”

“Come on, don’t be such a—“

“Six, five, four, three, two...”

Just as Soren predicted, Callum did slip, the staff falling out of his hand.

“Called it.” Soren smiled, satisfied with himself but Rayla sneered.

Instead of being made fun of, Harrow pulled his son off of the ground and instructed him on where he went wrong and to try again. When Callum did he stumbled but he didn’t fall.

“Bravo! Well done, son.”

Callum’s smile grew wide. Hearing Harrow call him ‘son’ was always a nice reminder that, despite Callum’s own insecurities, he was still loved. Rayla smiled at the heart-melting moment but noticed that Soren wasn’t looking too happy. He was crestfallen and silent, as though just watching the two men having a good time brought down his spirits.

“Are you okay?” Rayla asked.

“Yeah. Whatever, so he got the hang of it, big deal.”

“Is it really such a bad thing for Callum to be good at something?”

“No, no. It’s just if he is good at something then what am I supposed to do?”

“Encourage him? Push him in the right direction.” Rayla saw Soren open his mouth and quickly covered it with her hand, “ _Metaphorically_ , not literally push him to the ground for giggles.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Soren said after Rayla removed her hand.

“Being nice can be fun too. Why not give it a try, you might get better results. Like the Old Code says: A knight is sworn to valor. His might upholds the weak.”

Soren waved his hand carelessly, “His words speak only truth. Yeah, yeah, I know all about it. Callum recites it every chance he gets,”

“If you know it, then show it.”

Soren didn’t answer right away, he was too distracted by the way the step-prince and his father laughed together while also contemplating on what Rayla just said. He remembered what she told him yesterday, about treating the prince with respect and also about Callum still having some respect for Soren. When he pushed Callum into the dance with Rayla it was the one nice thing he did for Callum. Yes, it involved pushing, but still. He even received a thank you from the prince. A genuine ‘thank you’ with no snarky line attached after it.

Come to think of it, this was the first real conversation he had with Rayla. He was treating her as a person instead of a pretty thing to chase after. Just because he accepted that Rayla didn’t like him in that way didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends, right? Would that be so bad?

He decided to give this whole ‘being nicer’ thing a try and offered her his hand for her to shake. “Guess I should start somewhere. I’m sorry for my behavior before. Do you think we could start over and be friends?”

Rayla smiled. “Sure.” She shook Soren’s hand. “I still expect you to be nicer to Callum.”

“I know.”

(~)

As night loomed over the horizon, the sun setting behind the mountaintops, Rayla walked out onto the roof of the castle, leaning over the edge to admire the beauty of the land. From the east, she thought if she tried hard enough she could see Xadia. Katolis was closest to the border that divided the human kingdoms and Xadia, but even now she couldn’t tell which mountains were Xadia’s and which were Katolis’s.

In a way, that sounded like a good thing. The mountains being nearly indistinguishable from one another was a reminder that this world didn’t use to be two places but a single whole. A place where creatures of all sizes from all walks of life came and went and befriend one another.

Callum had told so many stories that Rayla was beginning to muddle them with reality. It was as if her current reality was the dream and the books and legends were the reality. She felt more at home, more at peace whenever the name Xadia came up. As she watched the setting sun she clenched her necklace, the one link to her past.

Rayla turned the medallion over and read the three words over and over again. _To The Stars_. The words motivated her to look up and she could indeed see the stars already starting to appear. Perhaps she would see Draco again. The dragon constellation was like a beacon of light amidst the darkened void.

The girl jumped when she heard footsteps... immediately followed by the hollow sound of staff after every step.

Lord Viren, cloaked in all his dark and dreary glory, stood before her. Rayla tried to play it cool by addressing her attention to the scenery rather than him. She succeeded in not showing a trace of unease. Though she wondered how long she could hold the facade.

“I just received word from General Amaya’s troops,” Viren said while looking over the view alongside Rayla, keeping a respectable distance been them. “The search parties in Dal Bar and Duren have been unsuccessful so far.”

Was he trying to make her feel bad? Because if he was then it was, unfortunately, working. Three weeks and still nothing. Nobody reported a missing child.

“But I did hear there has been some progress in Neolandia and Evenere. Nothing concrete yet but we are remaining hopeful.”

“Thank you, Lord Viren,” Rayla said, still not looking at him. She hoped her nonchalant reply would be enough to make him leave but he didn’t. If anything, he got himself comfortable by resting his staff onto the side of the edge and sigh to himself.

“I have been trying to find the right words to say and the right moment to say them. First I wish to apologize if my presence gave you any mixed messages. Ever since we got the reports about the possible threat I’ve been on the defensive. Added with your sudden arrival you could understand the amount of pressure I was under. What I’m trying to say is... I’m sorry.”

Rayla whirled her face at the dark mage. For once he didn’t look down at her with scorn but a mixture of hesitation and regret. It was as if he genuinely felt sorry for his behavior before but at the same time was scared of it. Was she scared to apologize or scared of her specifically?

“I’m sorry I gave you the wrong impression. Your safety and health are very important to the king and to myself. Please, do not mistake my bullheadedness for discontentment. I’m happy that you are safe within the walls of Katolis, and I promise you will remain safe until your family comes for you.”

That last part sounded chillingly ominous, or perhaps it was simply his way of talking that made it sound like that. It was almost as if he was speaking from half-of his heart. Not entirely here but not entirely gone either. It wasn’t the same dual contrast she saw in Claudia, but it was vaguely close.

Rayla nodded, the wind blowing in her hair. “Thank you, Lord Viren.”

Viren grabbed his staff, bowed, and then went on his way. He stopped five feet away, his back to Rayla’s who didn’t move from her spot.

“I should warn you, though it may not seem like it, we are living in dark times. There is a darkness looming overhead. I advise you to be wary of what you see and hear. That’s why it’s crucial that you and the princes remain within these walls. Here, you are safe.”

Rayla stood still until she could hear Viren’s footsteps no more. His words echoed in her skull. _Here, you are safe_. She didn’t feel very safe when around him. She really hoped she could at least be nice to Viren and maybe even find a shred of likability in him just as she did with his children. But no, Viren was just as unpleasant as he was when she first arrived. Maybe she would have to simply tolerate him the same way Harrow did.

His words did strike a chord with her, though. Here she was safe. She refused to believe Xadia was the hellhole Viren and others made it out to be. How could they critique something they’ve never seen before?

The sun had finally set and Rayla looked up to see Draco already in the stars. The shined seemed to shine brighter tonight. She clenched her necklace and looked up at the stars.

She will find her family. She will find her home again. In the meantime, she wouldn’t mid calling Katolis home.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have just renamed this Chapter: ‘Everybody loves Rayla’ XD! Okay, all jokes aside I really like how Claudia and Rayla’s interactions turned out and Claudia and Callum slowly becoming friends again. 
> 
> I don’t know if I’m the only one who’s noticed this but Rayla, even in the show, is sort of a catalyst for change. She isn’t a character who completely submits to the status quo, even amongst her own people, that was a characteristic I really wanted her to keep in this story, and her being a peacemaker is another foreshadowing to her identity. 
> 
> I’m nearly done wrapping up establishing the relationships here and next chapter, get ready for some Rayllum. SQUEE!!
> 
> Until next time, stay safe, God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	10. Chapter 10

As the days turned into weeks, Amaya and her troops searched relentlessly all over Katolis. They left no stone unturned, everywhere they went they asked every townspeople, every family, single parents, orphanages, hospitals, and foster cares. Each time Amaya would show the people in question a detailed sketch drawing of Rayla which Callum had made, but nobody recognized her. Eventually, they eventually received replies to the letters they sent the neighboring kingdoms, each one with the same answer as everyone else they questioned.

No one had ever seen nor heard of this young blond-haired girl with lilac eyes in possession of a Star Stone. But the ever-resourceful Amaya refused to give up. When all else failed Amaya turned to another possibility. Across the five kingdoms were a nomadic group of people known for traveling from town to town in colorful caravans sharing stories of their respected homelands while selling items they crafted themselves. Things like beautifully woven carpets, drapes, dresses, shoes, jewelry, and even instruments like lutes and tambourines which they often used while performing their ritualistic dances. Often times they were mistaken for mischievous faes who snatched children in the night to replace with their own children, known as changelings. But that was often dismissed as a marginalized stereotype with no real grounding on truth. 

Though, these people were known for their lively and free-spirited nature and talent of singing and dancing, along with a defiant resistance to social norms, which described Rayla rather well. Amaya was fortunate enough to stumble upon said group during her travels.

A small family, consisting of a mother, her husband, and two children, one of which was a newborn, stumbled upon some misfortune on their way into town. Their caravan had gotten stuck in a deep mud puddle, which would ruin the materials they had made to sell at the market.

Amaya and her troops discovered them and generously offered their assistance. Amaya took this opportunity to show them Rayla’s image and ask whether or not they knew of someone with her likeness and carried a star stone.

“I am deeply sorry, Madam. But I know not of this woman or your stone. Not even our people are as fortunate as the rich to stumble upon such treasures of the earth.” The woman said while cradling her infant son with one arm and her other was holding the tiny hand of her six-year-old daughter who clenched her stuffed goat against her colorful dress, adorned with tiny stones that made a musical jingled sound when she moved.

“ _Thank you for your cooperation, Miss_.” Amaya signed. Many nomads were linguistic, and this family understood sign language. “ _Safe travels._ ”

“And to you and your kin as well.” The woman bowed in respect and her eldest child waved while gifting Amaya with an innocent smile. Amaya waved farewell and the little girl giggled and waved back. Amaya’s heart felt heavy as she watched the caravan leave.

(~)

It was a tiresome trip back to Katolis, both physically and emotionally. Amaya wasn’t sure exactly how she was going to break the news to Rayla. Moments like these made her wish she didn’t have such a soft heart.

Once she and her men returned home she wasn’t expecting to find her brother-in-law and eldest nephew in the courtyard... sparing with each other?

Amaya’s mouth flew open at the sight. Callum, shy, clumsy, kind-hearted Callum, was holding his own—surprisingly well she might add—against his taller, and far more experienced step-father who was laughing joyously as his stepson managed to land a lucky strike to his chest. Amaya knew as well as anyone that Callum loathed sword fighting, but when it came to using a bo-staff he was as much of a natural as his mother.

Callum did a funny victory dance when he landed a lucky strike to Harrow’s chest. The king kneeled and wailed dramatically while reaching his hand for the heavens as though he were slowly fading from this cruel, cruel world. Amaya laughed at the king’s over-the-top acting and Callum spotted her.

“Aunt Amaya! You’re back.”

Harrow stood back up and dusted off his knees before approaching Callum, ruffling his hair. “Good practice, Callum. Why don’t you go wash up before lunch? I’ll catch up in a bit.”

“You got it.” Callum said, then turned to speak to his aunt, “I’ll tell Rayla you’re back.” He said excitedly before dashing off.

“ _So, when did this happen?_ ” Amaya signed, pointing to the staff in Harrow’s hand.

“Callum decided that sword fighting wasn’t his forte so he upgraded to a spear. Well, a staff for now, but at the rate that he’s going I wouldn’t be surprised if he moved up to the next level in a few weeks.”

“ _Was it your idea?_ ” Amaya asked. She knew there had to be some other explanation because there was no way Callum would have come to the idea of changing from a sword to a bo-staff all on his own.

“Actually, Rayla suggested it. Turns out she’s got quite the eye for natural talent.” Harrow said, which made Amaya roll her eyes.

“ _Typical. Show a boy a pretty face and they’ll be motivated to try just about anything. Sounds like somebody else I know_.”

Harrow laughed, “Speaking of which, how did the search go?” Harrow asked. Amaya dropped her shoulders and gently shook her head. “Don’t worry, it’s only been a month. I’m sure Lady Luck will smile upon us next time. Come on, we’ll talk it over lunch.”

“ _You read my mind._ ” Amaya signed, “ _Or rather, my stomach._ ”

(~)

It was difficult for Amaya to explain the situation to Rayla, mainly because she couldn’t bear to see the disappointed look on the young girl’s face. When she heard Amaya had returned she was dashed down the hallways to see her. But in spite of their lack of success, Amaya refused to give up. After all, it was only a month and a lot could still happen. They would send more letters to more people, send more of her troops to cover more ground in other kingdoms to make sure they didn't miss anyone.

“Thank you, General Amaya. I just hope it’s not too much trouble.” Rayla said, feeling a bit embarrassed and maybe even ashamed that these people would send a worldwide search party just to find her family, which would be a lot easier of she could at least remember who they were or even what they looked like. No matter how hard she tried to remember it was like trying fighting a brick wall.

“ _It’s no trouble at all,_ ” Amaya signed while Harrow translated. “ _I made you a promise and I intend to keep it. Everyone deserves to be with their family._ ” Amaya signed. So long as there was at least a tiny, minuscule chance of finding Rayla’s family, Amaya wasn’t going to stop looking. “ _Speaking of families, where’s Ezran?_ ”

Just then, Ezran walked into the dining room alongside the castle chef, carrying a plate of steaming hot jelly tarts fresh out of the oven. Callum reached out to grab one but Ezran slapped his hand. His older brother reeled back and whimpered like a puppy while pouting.

“Ah, ah, ah, those are for desert. Do you know how long it took to make these? Have some respect for the artist!” Ezran said, sternly waving his finger at Callum.

Amaya blinked in surprise, “ _You made these, Ezran?_ ”

“That’s right. I’ve taken the young king-to-be under my wing.” The cook said, wrapping his arm around Ezran’s shoulders. His apron was still stained with patches of white flower and red jelly stains.

Amaya couldn’t believe it, Ezran went from stealing jelly tarts to making them now?

“Having him help out in the kitchen was a stroke of genius, Miss Rayla.” Said the chef, giving the young woman a bow. Rayla thanked him with a graceful nod, a gesture Amaya often saw displayed by noble young woman, or at least those who didn’t look down on others. 

Amaya gently shook her head in disbelief and was even more surprised when Callum informed her that it was Rayla’s idea for him to switch from a sword to a staff. Amaya wondered what other miracles Rayla had done while she had been away.

(~)

As the days went by life in the castle carried on as normal. Well, perhaps not everything.

Viren noticed that Claudia had been spending a lot of her free time with Rayla there past few days. He would often find the two girls either talking or laughing together. Viren hadn’t seen Claudia this excited and happy since she cast her first spell with flying colors. Despite Viren’s mixed feelings towards the mysterious amnesiac, there was no denying that she made Claudia happy. She was sixteen after all, and perhaps it made sense that she would want to interact with other girls her own age after growing up mostly around boys and adults for most of her life.

It wasn’t too surprising for Viren to catch Prince Callum accompanying the two women. What did surprise him was that the eldest prince and his daughter were having actual conversations again. As they grew older their once near inseparable bond shifted to friendly waves and polities smiles whenever they bumped into each other in the halls. Viren knew it was Prince Callum’s great dislike of dark magic which led to their falling out. Now they were having full-blown conversations just like they used to.

Other days Viren would notice traces of mud, dirt, and leafs stuck to the side of Claudia’s boots, tiny flowers in her hair, and coming home smelling of wildflowers. Sometimes she would be gone for half of the day, but Claudia always made up for it with extra hours dedicated to her studies. 

(~)

While it was true, Claudia did still practice dark magic from time to time, knowing her father would suspect something was amiss if she didn’t. What Viren didn’t know was that Claudia was working on another kind of magic.

Ever since that night when Rayla helped Claudia in completing one of her long-awaited potions, the mage couldn’t stop thinking about the possibilities of an alternate form of magic. A form of magic that her father always said was impossible.

After she and Callum drifted apart Claudia had nothing but free time to do dark magic. Now she was sharing her time with Rayla and Callum, experimenting on the numerous old spells and potions from the lost books they found.

Claudia’s snake sprite friends continued to bring her flowers and plants for her potions, flowers that were presumed dead for millennia were now blossoming once again. Claudia could have easily allowed the snake sprites to collect the items for her, but there was something invigorating about going out into the woods to search for the plants herself. Not wanting her to go alone, Callum and Rayla, and of course, Ezran and Bait would accompany her. 

With his trusty notebook, Ezran would help Claudia in taking notes, who would often become so excited over a new discovery she would forget to write it all down. Meanwhile, Callum sketched out the plants they found on Claudia’s notebooks and Rayla would pluck the plants that were too difficult to reach. Rayla proved to be a natural-born athlete. She leaped off of high trees and rocks with incredible speed and flexibility, as though her body were crafted specifically for a life in the wild, untamed regions of the land.

One day, the group was searching for a dark cave to find a rare hydra plant. Similar to a Venus Flytrap, only with a snake-like head and could stretch out and cut someone’s skin like a whip. Claudia read that the source of this was the rubber-like mucus inside the plant. Claudia read that this material, mixed with the right ingredients, could be used as an elastic whip. This enchanted item was used by warriors in the days of old during wartimes.

Claudia pulled out the jar with the fire spider’s core from her bag and gave it a good shake. The jar glowed, illuminating the cave. The group cautiously paved their way through the tunnel until Rayla pulled Claudia away from the edge of a rock.

“Thanks,” Claudia said, taking deep breaths and pointing the light downwards to the deep bottom of the cave, which turned out to be a nesting ground for scorpions. The group stepped away from the edge, Callum’s skin crawled at the sound of the multitude of tiny legs moving about.

“The book didn’t mention scorpions. That would have been nice to know.” Ezran said, clenching onto his older brother’s arm. Bait croaked in disgust at the insects. Not even he would devour such hideous and venomous creatures.

Claudia shifted the light up to the cave walls where she spotted an entire garden of the Hydra Plant growing from the side of the cave.

“Jackpot!” Claudia said.

The snake sprites flew up to retrieve the plant, which proved to be rather difficult with the plants constantly stretching out to snap at them. The little ones flew back and hid underneath Claudia’s cloak.

“Oh, it’s okay babies, you did your best.” Claudia cooed.

Rayla turned to Callum, “Plan B?”

“Plan B.” Callum reached for their supply bags, knowing they were going into a cave he was sure to come prepared. The castle didn’t have an unlimited supply of climbing gear but they did have crossbows and arrows that could pierce through metal. They tied one end of the rope to the tail of the arrow. Rayla aimed and fired the arrow to the cave wall and tied the other end of the rope to a rock to work as an anchor.

Once confident in the sturdiness of the rope Ezran picked up Bait. “Okay Bait, this is all on you. Remember, don’t make any rapid movements or loud noises, or else the plant will defend itself. Wait until it falls asleep.”

Bait croaked in response and started climbing the rope. He dimmed his colors to blend into the surrounding darkness and kept a steady, silent pace as he approached the plant, waiting for the leaves to pull inwards as a sign of its slumbering state. Right when the leafs rolled inwards, Bait waited exactly five seconds. From down below, Claudia counted the seconds while clenching her hands to the point her nails could pierce through her skin and draw blood.

“Three... two.... one...”

Bait stretched out his tongue and snatched the plant right before it woke up, stripping it from its roots so it wouldn’t stretch out and attack him. The group cheered in celebration and Bait crawled backward, jumping off of the rope and into Ezran’s waiting arms.

“You did it, Bait! Good job.”

Claudia rubbed the glow toad’s head and secured the flower in a jar with holes on the lid until they returned to the castle. “Great work, Bait. Now let’s get out of here before—“

“Claudia!” Callum shouted, pointing to Claudia’s leg where a scorpion was climbing up her ankle. The mage screamed and tried shaking the bug off of her leg but its legs were latched onto the fabric of her boot. In her frantic state, Claudia tripped and fell, shaking her leg to get the stubborn bug off of her.

“Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!”

In a flash of green and white, Rayla reached for Claudia’s leg, snatched the scorpion, and threw it to the ground, crushing it with her foot. Callum and Ezran pulled Claudia away from the edge.

“Claudia, are you okay?! Are you hurt? Did it sting you?” Callum asked, his breathing coming in short frantic breaths.

Claudia patted her leg and pulled back her pants to make sure there were no red marks from the scorpion’s sting. “No, no I think I’m okay.”

Rayla dusted her hands off the side of pants while Callum helped Claudia stand back up. Bait and the snake sprites looked over the remains of the scorpion until Rayla quickly grabbed their bags.

“Let’s get out of here before its friends decide to join the party.” She said. Ezran scooped up Bait and Callum pulled his younger brother out of the cave while Rayla pulled Claudia. Once outside the group took a moment to catch the breath, not from the running but from narrowly escaping a scorpion’s deadly sting. Callum rushed over to Rayla and inspected her hands.

“Are you okay? Let me look at you.”

“I’m fine, Callum. Really.” Rayla assured him but allowed Callum to keep inspecting her hands and arms for any red markings just to be safe. It was nice to know that he cared.

“Rayla, you just snatched a scorpion with your bare hands! And there’s barely a scratch on you.”

Rayla looked down at her palms. He was right, there were no scratch marks or traces of dirt, not even bits of the scorpion’s insides that were splattered on her boot. Her skin was as flawless as ever.

“Huh. What’d ya know.”

“I can’t believe you just did that,” Claudia said, still out of breath. “You saved me.”

“Of course I did. Isn’t that what friends do?” Rayla said with a casual shrug, completely unfazed by the fact that she just rescued Claudia from a venomous insect by stripping it off of her leg like it was nothing and smashed it against her foot. On top of that, Rayla just said that she and Claudia were friends.

Sure, they’ve casually said it once or twice before but anyone could call someone their “friend” and have it not mean much. Rayla just risked her own skin for Claudia without thinking twice. Claudia wasn’t sure if she could ever have the courage to do what Rayla just did. Relief overtook the remaining shock and Claudia found herself being able to breathe normally again.

“Thank you,” Claudia said, sucking in her lips as the tears pricked her eyes like thorns. She flung her arms around Rayla’s neck and hugged her. Rayla didn’t take long to hug her back. Claudia sucked in a breath as she let go and turned away so no one would see her tears.

“Okay, I think that’s enough adventure for one day. Let’s head back.” Claudia took Ezran’s hand and led him back to their horses which were tied to a couple of trees nearby.

“That was really brave, Rayla,” Callum said as he adjusted his satchel.

“Really? Because I was terrified. That thing almost stung her.” Rayla said.

“I know, that’s why doing what you did was so heroic.”

“Please. I’m sure anyone would have done the same.”

“And you say I’m the one who can’t take a compliment.” Callum joked, earning a giggle from Rayla that made him blush.

“Hey! Are you two coming or what!” Claudia shouted from the other side of the forest. The two joined her and Ezran and rode back to the castle. The whole time Callum couldn’t stop thinking about what Rayla did, reliving the moment vividly in his mind’s eye. She was so fast and brave, quicker than any night but just ad noble and true. She displayed every aspect of the Old Code. Valor, the heart of virtue, and defended the helpless.

(~)

When the group came back they saw Soren waiting for them in the castle entrance. “Where have you been? Why did you leave without an escort? Do you know how much trouble you could be in?”

“You didn’t tell dad, did you?” Claudia said fearfully, clenching her satchel bag while one of the snake sprites hid in her hair.

“No, and you’re lucky because who knows what he’d do if he found out!”

“I’m sorry, Soren.”

“What is up with you lately? You’ve been acting weird. And not your normal Claudia weird but really weird. What’s going on?”

Claudia turned to her friends, hoping they would have an idea of how she could get out of this. Rayla was the first to step forward and give the mage’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Her subtle way of saying that whatever choice Claudia made they would support her. It felt nice having these kinds of friends around but then Claudia realized that while she had been having fun with Callum, Rayla, Ezran, and her snake sprite friends she had been leaving Soren in the dark. Her father was understandable, but Soren, he was not just her older brother but her best friend who kept her secrets and offered her a shoulder to cry on whenever she needed it. More so than her father the more she thought about it.

Claudia decided that her brother deserved to know, and after what happened today, maybe it would be best to have an escort they could trust.

(~)

The group led Soren to the restricted basement room of the library where the princes and Rayla found Claudia researching about Mage Meadowbrook. They had composed it into a mini workspace. The old wooden table which had been there for decades had been cleaned and polished, looking like new.

Claudia used the table to set up a mini-laboratory complete with beakers, vials of plant roots, rocks crushed into tiny dust particles, a magnifying glass, and a stack of books on opposite corners of the table. Detailed drawings and notes were stuck to the walls. Claudia pulled out the jar with the hydra flower and reached for one of her empty flower pots. She sprinkled a type of yellow-pollen dust onto the surface of the soil before planting the hydra plant. the leafs unrolled and the flower sprung to life again.

Soren leaned over Claudia’s shoulder and attempted to poke the plant’s snake-like head, only for it to stretch out at him, creating a snapping sound like the end of a whip. Soren pulled away before it cut his wrist.

“Careful! The hydra plant responds to movement and sound.” Claudia said, gently pushing her brother back and waited for the plant to fall back asleep. Ezran handed her a rounded glass covering with holes. She waited for the right moment and placed the glass over the plant. It sketched out but its snake head hit the glass. The holes were so the plant could receive enough oxygen to thrive while the glass was used to keep it calm. Claudia wiped the sweat from her brow and placed the plant back with the others she had found, each one in its own pot, some growing larger and more beautiful than before.

The snake sprites tended to the flowers, spreading them with the magical pollen from their wings, their scales ripping with shimmering rainbow colors like sequin patterns. Soren noticed it was the same pollen Claudia just poured onto the soil before planting the weird snake-headed flower.

His sister handled the plants with the same love and care as their mother.

“What is all of this?” Soren asked, his fingers hovering over a boiling beaker with a strange green liquid underneath a flame. Claudia swatted his hand away again.

“Don’t touch! That stuff’s extremely hot.” Claudia turned a knob and the flames died down. She blew on the surface of the beaker and the liquid changed from green to a yellowish-green which then solidified into a hard surface. Claudia grabbed a long stick and started smashing it into soft pieces. Once they were ready she sprinkled a bit of it into her hand and blew on a wooden test doll. The doll then froze into a block of ice.

“Yes! Meadowbrook’s Freezing Spray was a success.” Claudia said while checking a long list of spells on the wall, one of which was the freezing spell. Claudia blew on the ice and the water instantly melted into the water at her feet.

“What is all this stuff?” Soren said, unable to believe what he had just witnessed. “Some kind of new magic?”

“Not _new_ magic. _Old_ magic.” Claudia corrected with a great big smile on his face. Claudia excitedly went through her notes and showed her brother all the plants from her mother’s book.

“See these plants?” Claudia showed Soren how the plants in her pots were the same ones from the book.

“They’re the same,” Soren said, looking confused, but to be fair Claudia could be very confusing at times.

“Exactly! But here’s the awesome part. These plants were native to Xadia from before the continent split. These plants were on our side of the border and were thought to be extinct when the magic here disappeared. But we found that they’re still alive. Callum and I had a theory that maybe after the dragons and faeries migrated to the east the indigenous plant life had to adapt to the new ecosystem which is why they’re mainly found in places like caves or underneath a lake, inside walnuts—don't ask—and these plants have traces of magic inside of them. Like this...”

Claudia shoved a spiked pinkish-red seed that vaguely resembled pomegranate seeds up her brother’s nose. “They’re seeds of the ruby-flowers. Legends say that whoever smells them is put under a deep sleep.” Claudia explained. Hearing this Soren cautiously stepped away from the seeds. Claudia rolled her eyes.

“Relax, it’s the petals, not the seeds that put people to sleep. But I found out that when I mix the seeds with mint-leafs, two teaspoons of vanilla, three sunflower seeds, and boil them to exactly 25 degrees it completely subdues the sleeping effects and doubles as a healing tonic that can seal up nay cut. It also makes a fantastic perfume.”

Soren shook his head and rubbed his forehead. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. So, this is what you’ve been doing all this time? Playing with magical plants?”

“It’s not playing, Soren. It’s research. And it’s not just with plants.”

Claudia turned to Ezran, who grabbed a jar of tiny coals inside and gave it to Claudia. She took a sample of what looked like some kind of sparkly blue dust and when she sprinkled it onto the stones they lit up and started floating around like fireflies. They were warm to the touch but didn’t burn. The snake sprites played with them like toys and then the lights went back into the jar. Once the lid was closed the coals stopped glowing and returned to normal.

“Whoa....” Soren had seen magic before, but it always involved something gross like a naiad’s heart or Minotaur’s ear, then an incantation. Every time a spell was cast it would leave in its wake a feeling of dread and the stench of the deceased creature, but this... all it required was some sparkly dust which, from the looks of it, came from some type of rock that was smashed to tiny dust-like pieces—at least, according to Claudia’s notes— and those rocks lit up without any incantation.

It was magical, and not the scary kind of magical but... a beautiful kind of magic. Memories from when they were children came flooding back, memories of them chasing fireflies and competing to see who caught the most before their mother called them inside for dinner.

“Claudia... that was amazing.”

“I know, right. All I needed were fire spider cores and some crushed up river sapphires. There are a lot of those in the lake nearby. They’re not considered valuable anyway so nobody would even notice. Or care.” Claudia gave a one should shrug. “Kind of a shame, actually.”

“Wait, you used spiders for those things?” Soren said, already feeling the familiar wave of nausea that often came whenever he learned of the insides that went into casting spells.

“Actually, the spiders were Evie’s lunch,” Claudia explained.

Soren tilted his head. “Evie?”

Evie, the snake sprite who imprinted on Claudia, landed on her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek. “They can’t digest the spider’s ember core since it’s too hot so they have to puke it out. Kind of like how owls puke up mice pellets.”

Soren’s nose crinkled, “That is disgusting.”

“It’s not disgusting, it’s nature.”

“And you three knew about this?” Soren said to Rayla, Callum, and Ezran.

“It’s not that hard to find in a book, really,” Callum said.

“Not the snake vomit, _this!_ ” Soren showcased the min laboratory with his arms, “All of this!”

Callum scratched the back of his neck, looking guilty while Ezran hid his face behind Bait and Rayla rubbed her wrist while looking down at the floor.

“I asked them to keep it secret,” Claudia admitted, standing between them and her brother. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you have to promise you won’t tell dad just yet.”

“Why? I mean, this stuff is incredible. How did you manage to come up with these spells?”

“I didn’t.” Claudia grabbed one of her books and flipped through the pages, stopping at an illustration of the freezings spell she did beside various others. “The first mages recorded their findings, including Sir Phineas. There are so many tonics and potions I never even knew existed.”

“This is the old magic dad always said wasn’t real?”

“Technically, he said it was a rouse used by the dragons to keep us enslaved, but yeah.” Claudia closed the book, “I just want to do a little more research before I can show him. If I have enough evidence maybe it could convince him to give it a chance. You know dad, he can be so stubborn with his opinions.” Claudia said while rolling her head along with her eyes.

“Okay, I guess that sort of makes sense. But, if you don’t want him knowing then you shouldn’t be going out into the forest without telling anybody.”

“Well, if that’s the case then why not come with us the next time?” Rayla suggested, surprising Claudia. “You said so yourself, we can’t leave the castle grounds without an escort, so why not one we can trust?”

Soren scratched his neck, “I don’t know.”

“Please, Soren.” Claudia pleaded, “Just until I can tell dad.” She reached for her brother’s hands and held them tight.

“Wow. You’re really sure about this, aren’t you?”

“Please?” Claudia begged, green eyes sparkling with hope.”

Soren didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from their father, mainly because he feared for both himself and Claudia getting into trouble and one would be wise not to tick off their father. Still, everything Claudia had accomplished up until now was nothing short of amazing, and it seemed to really make her happy. The happiest she’s ever been when she was with Rayla and Callum.

That was another thing Soren noticed, Callum and Claudia were hanging out again like they used to, hardly arguing or Callum giving his sister the stink-eye for whatever reason. Now, it was like they were best friends again. Soren couldn’t help but feel a tad envious. Those were simpler times when the three of them would play and chase each other down the castle hallways.

So long as Soren kept a sharp eye on her and if she swore she would tell Viren eventually, then maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad thing to keep the secret going for a while longer. There was something almost forbiddingly alluring about going off on secret missions when no one was the wiser.

“Pretty please?” Ezran pleaded, giving the knight his big puppy dog eyes. Bait followed his master’s example, his eyes growing bigger as he whimpered.

Soren sighed, “Okay, fine. But only until you tell dad and you have to promise me you won’t do anything too crazy or blow yourself up.”

“Why do you think she has us,” Rayla said, clasping her hand in the mage’s shoulder.

“We’re impulse control,” Callum said, pointing at Claudia.

“It’s true.” Claudia flung her arms around Callum and Rayla and hugged them close to her sides.

“Soooo... can I see those lights again?” Soren said with childish glee. Claudia was more than happy to make the magical lights dance again. If only to bring that smile to her brother’s face.

(~)

From then onward, Soren made it his solemn duty to watch over his sister, the princes, and Rayla whenever they went out to retrieve more magical ingredients. Soren wasn’t as into this magical stuff as the rest of them, but he enjoyed seeing his sister happy, and so long as she promised it she would eventually tell their father.

Some outings were uneventful, allowing the group the opportunity to simply relax and enjoy the fresh air. Soren wasn’t much of an outdoorsy type of guy, but even he had to admit the scenery was beautiful. The shimmering lake, the sound of frogs and crickets and birds flying overhead, the winds that kept them cool even during the hottest days of the month.

One day Claudia and Rayla were picking wildflowers, not for any particular spell but simply because they were in bloom and it seemed like a crime not to bring a few home with them to brighten up the castle a little. Ezran and Bait carried the baskets for the two girls while Soren kept watching near the horses. Callum sat near a tree, sketching the scenery. Though Soren noticed that Callum was sketching one person in particular. That person being Rayla, she was drawn sitting on the grass, cradling a bouquet of wildflowers with one arm while picking another one from the ground. For all of his teasing, Soren would admit that the prince was a truly gifted artist. He captured Rayla’s serene smile and long eyelashes that Soren half-expected her to start blinking.

Callum caught Soren staring and the guard quickly turned away, whistling innocently. With heated cheeks, Callum closed his sketchbook. He should have known better than to draw Rayla while Soren was around, but he foolishly believed the guard wouldn’t care about whatever it was he was drawing. Not to mention, Callum was so lost in his work that he didn’t even notice Soren staring.

“It looks nice,” Soren said, feeling a bit guilty over killing the prince’s inspirational flow.

“What?”

“The drawing. It looks really good.”

“Oh. Thanks.” Callum replied, unsure of what to say next. They hadn’t spoken much since the Trader’s Market, and Callum didn’t dare bring it up again. Probably because he knew Soren would deny it.

The peaceful moment was interrupted by the sound of something rustling in the bushes. Soren pulled out his sword and jumped in front of the two women and the princes. He lowered his weapon once a cute little deer walked out.

“Careful, I hear they can smell fear.” Rayla teased, patting Soren on the back.

“Whatever,” Soren grumbled under his breath and Rayla approached the deer.

“You nearly gave us a heart attack, you wee cutie.”

The little deer shied away from Rayla as she offered her hand. It sniffed her fingers then started licking her palm. Rayla invited Ezran to come and pet the creature. Bait croaked and literally turned green with envy.

(~)

When the children returned to the castle they surprised Harrow with the wildflowers which the maids put into beauty vases to adorn the throne room and hallways. The smell of lavenders filled the halls, bathing the castle in a welcoming scent that lifted everyone’s moods.

Not even Viren was immune to the flowers’ magical sway. Claudia even put some flowers in his workspace to help him relax. Viren was grateful for the gift and she was right, it did brighten the room a bit. Though it was still new for Viren to accept that Claudia had found other interests aside from dark magic.

“Dad, are you okay?” she asked, adjusting a cracked stem from the vase.

“I’m fine, Claudia,” Viren said, feigning his mixed emotions. “I guess I’m just overworked.”

“How about I make you some jasmine tea? It’s a new recipe I’ve been working on.”

“You’ve become quite the herbalist, haven’t you?” Viren said.

“Just a new hobby I decided to pick up. Is... that okay?” Claudia asked, fiddling her fingers with worry.

“Of course. I just hope your new endeavors don’t get in the way of your studies.”

Claudia scoffed, “Of course not, Dad. You know me, I always find a way to make time.”

“Good. Because you understand how important is it's for—“

“Us to be on guard, I know, Dad. You’ve got to stop worrying so much. Whatever happens, I’m sure we can handle it.” Claudia kissed her father’s cheek. “I’ll go and make you the tea. Trust me, you’ll love it.”

“Thank you, Claudia,” Viren said as his daughter left the room to fetch his tea. Perhaps he should take his daughter’s advice. some relaxation could be a good thing.

(~)

“He really liked it?” Rayla asked as she refilled the watering can. When Claudia wasn’t doing research on the old magic, she would be seen tending to the castle gardens with Rayla, an activity Claudia only ever did in moderation but was doing a lot more of now. The girls were engrossed in conversation while the snake sprites aided them in their work.

“You should have seen the look on his face.” Claudia said, “It was like he was tasting happiness for the first time in his life.”

“Claudia, that’s wonderful.”

“I know, right? Maybe once he sees what we’ve done so far he’ll be less stressed out about everything.”

“I know Viren and I aren’t exactly best friends, but I agree. That amount of stress can not be good for a man his age.”

“Which reminds me, do you think we could try out that skin rejuvenation elixir next?”

“Uh, I doubt that one counts as a spell. It’s just really good body lotion you got off of a medical book.”

“Yeah, but I figured if I gave it a more “mystical” name it would sound cooler,” Claudia said, waving her hands and wiggling her fingers for dramatic effect.

“Yeah... it really doesn’t,” Rayla said. The two girls laughed it off while the snake sprites, which were growing more and more with each passing day, spit their non-lethal venom from their fangs which worked as fertilizer for the plants.

It wasn’t strange for Viren to see the girls in the garden from the window of the hallways. Today, however, was different. Today was when he saw the snake sprites for the first time. Viren couldn’t believe their luck, he thought snake sprites had all but left the forests of Katolis, and yet here was a batch of infant ones ripe for the picking. But, to his shock, Claudia didn’t do anything to try and grab the snake sprites. They fluttered around her head, one even coiled around her wrist, and... was it giving her kisses?

Since when did Claudia play with fae creatures? They had magical essence right at their fingertips and his daughter, his protege, was using them as entertainment and garden helpers?

Wanting to get to the bottom of this, Viren caught Claudia in the hallways. The mage gasped when her father seemed to have stepped right out of the shadows like a ghost. Evie hid inside Claudia’s satchel bag, poking her tiny head out to see the dark mage looming over her.

“Care to explain yourself?” Viren said, narrowing his eyes as he stood before his daughter. Claudia’s left side was facing the open window while Viren’s right side was facing the wall a foot away from the sunlight, making him look even more of a shadow while the golden trims of Claudia’s clothes captured the afternoon sunlight.

“Explain what?” Claudia asked, her fingers drumming over the strap of her bag.

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Claudia gulped. How did he find out so quickly? She had been so caught up with everything else she almost forgot to tell him, or perhaps she had been unintentionally brushing it off. Either way, the cat was out of the bag.

“Dad, I’m sorry, I was just waiting for the right time.”

“Well, now is as good a time as ever to introduce me to your little friends.” Viren’s eyes zeroed in on her bag and Evie sucked her head back inside. Claudia was only half-relieved. Her father still didn’t know about her experiences, but he now knew about Evie and the others. She knew he wouldn’t understand, to Viren all fae creatures were ingredients and sources of power, no exceptions.

Claudia sighed and had Evie fly out, coiling around her wrist. “Dad, this is Evie. Evie, meet Dad.”

“Hello, Evie,” Viren said, raising a brow in suspicion. “How long has this been going on for?”

“Not long. But, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with—“

“Claudia, you are aware of the kind of magic these creatures possess, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am. Look...” Claudia pulled out a jar with shed snakeskin, the same one from her secret study. “They shed their skin once every month. This way I can use their scales without hurting them.”

“Why do you suddenly care?”

“Well, excuse me for never getting over you not allowing me and Soren have a dog.”

“Because they’re smelly and poop everywhere.”

“Dad, it’s just one snake sprite. And let’s not forget, they’re carnivores. They’ve been snatching pray for me for months and they can’t detect magical energies close by. I just feel like they would be more beneficial for us alive than dead.”

Viren scoffed, shaking his head. Claudia did make a valid argument, and using their shed skin was a smart alternative, but it wasn’t their scales where their power lied but in their wings. Nothing could compare to the rejuvenating effects their wings possessed. And since when did Claudia feel any remorse over these creatures? She hadn’t felt remorse since she was little when she tried dark magic for the first time. She cried for hours over what she had done until Viren calmed her down and tried to drill into her head that fae creatures aren’t like real animals or people. Now she was forming bonds with them?

Viren felt uneasy but he didn’t have neither the heart nor the energy to tell her this. He missed the days where she would listen to him without question, his happy little mage-in-training was now a headstrong teenager forming her own opinions. Again, none of which was an issue until that _girl_ came along. Perhaps he did have reason to worry after all. 

“This is very unorthodox but...” Viren groaned, wishing he didn’t have to do this but he couldn’t risk getting on Claudia’s bad graces. Not now. “I suppose it’s better than a dog.”

“Yes! Thanks, Dad!” Claudia hugged her father tight, which made Viren grimaced.

“But, I do advise you not to get too attached,” Viren warned but didn’t explain further before walking away. Claudia stood there, head tilted to the side in confusion.

“What? What does that mean?”

(~)

Soren paced up the stairs to meet his father on the highest roof of the castle, overlooking the breathtaking scenery. Viren struggled not to roll his eyes at his eldest son who kept doing stretch exercises once he arrived.

“I love having meetings up here. I get a nice leg workout going up all those stairs.” Soren said while turning his waist left and right, “Plus the view if amazing.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed you and your sister have gained a new fascination with nature,” Viren said, keeping his posture straight while looking down upon the village nestled at the end of the mountains.

Soren stopped his stretches and straightened himself. “Uh, I guess.”

“How many times have you gone into the forest this month? Five times. Ten, maybe?”

“I don’t know. So what? Is going into the forest a crime now?” Soren shrugged, nervously taping the side of his thighs. Viren finally turned to face his son, his body casting a long shadow that split the roof in two, with Soren on the side closest to the exit.

“I’m just worried about your sister and her involvement with the new girl.”

“You mean Rayla? She’s been living with us for three months now, should we even consider her ‘new’ anymore?”

“I’m being serious, Soren. Isn’t it a bit peculiar that all of Claudia’s new interests started not long after _she_ arrived at the castle?”

“So what? Claudia’s just making new friends, and I thought you said she wasn’t dangerous.”

“I admit, my earlier suspicions about her were unjust. Rayla is still recuperating from a traumatic experience that has affected her mentally and emotionally. It’s all very tragic.” Viren sounded almost sincere and a part of him was. It was sad that this girl had yet to regain so much as a fragment of her memories even after all this time and General Amaya hadn’t had the best luck when it came to locating said family with nothing to go on except for a precious stone.

“But it also means that her mind isn’t exactly in the right place.”

“What do you mean? Like, she’s crazy?” To Soren that didn’t sound right. “I mean, sure she’s a little... different, but I wouldn’t go that far and say she’s crazy.”

“I’m not saying she’s “crazy” Soren. I’m saying that she’s _confused_.” Viren clarified. “She isn’t aware of the dangers we are facing every day during this war. She’s as naive and innocent as Prince Ezran, but that is not her fault. We should be considerate to her condition but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be cautious as well, for her own safety.”

“You’re saying you want me to spy on her again?”

“No. I’m only asking that you stay on alert whenever she’s around. Especially when she’s with your sister or the princes. Do you understand?”

Soren didn’t respond immediately but he could sort of understanding where Viren was coming from. Rayla was different, she didn’t act or think like everyone else. But, that was what drew a lot of people to her. Could his father be right? Could Rayla’s condition put her in danger or cause her trouble? She had already coaxed Claudia into using a different kind of magic that was believed to have been a myth or evil but was that such a bad thing?

Claudia was happy again, Callum and Ezran were happy. Rayla made everyone around her happy. Or was this Viren’s point and Soren was just caught up in all the happiness and pretty magic lights that he couldn’t see the potential dangers before they even happened? His father was always good at planning ahead so maybe Soren would be wise to listen. If not for his sake then for Claudia’s.

That didn’t mean he still couldn’t keep her secret for a while longer and continue to protect her and the others, right? All Soren had to do was keep an eye on them if he saw anything suspicious, which he really hoped wouldn’t be the case, and not tell them what Viren said.

Rayla made no secret that she never felt comfortable around Viren, and he understood why. The high mage was an intimidating man, even to his own children.

“Okay. I understand.”

“Good.” Viren lifted his son’s chin and smiled. “I’m proud of you, my son.”

(~)

One morning, Rayla walked in on Soren and another guard sparing in the quad. Soren won the match and helped his partner back up to his feet. Rayla pulled out one of the actual swords from a pile near the stables and started waving it around with one hand.

For a moment she stared at the weapon’s reflective surface, staring into her eyes lilac-colored eyes. In her mind, Rayla heard the clanging of multiple swords followed by angry cries and wails of pain, followed by a thunderous roar.

This tended to happen every now and again. Whenever Rayla wasn’t distracted by daily activities like playing with Ezran or helping Claudia with her experiments, she would experience random moments where time seemed to stand still and everything around her would blur together like watercolor paint being splattered onto a white canvas.

Moments like these would make her stand still in one place and stare aimlessly at whatever it was she was currently looking at. When she heard someone call her name Rayla reacted by pointing the tip of the sword directly at Soren’s chin as though ready to slice his throat.

“Whoa, whoa, hey! It’s just me!”

Rayla gasped and immediately dropped the fake sword. This always happened whenever someone woke her up from her trances. Once she became aware of her surroundings Rayla would often find herself aiming whatever object she was holding at the person that awoke her or accidentally strike them in either the face or stomach. Rayla recoiled in embarrassment the first time she accidentally pushed Callum to the ground. She reacted with a flurry of ‘I’m sorry’s as she helped him stand and inspected him for injuries. Callum, ever so kind and empathetic, didn’t hold it against her and would quickly redirect his attention to her well being.

“Soren! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you.” Rayla apologized, relieved that she didn’t slice Soren’s throat just there. She may have only been holding a wooden sword but heaven knows what she could have done with it. Her eyes shifted to the wooden sword she had thrown months ago, still jammed onto the side of the tree trunk.

“Are you okay?” Soren asked as he observed Rayla shaking her head and rubbing her forehead, wincing at an in bile pain.

“Yeah. Just... lost in thought, I guess.” Rayla said, which was already begging to worry Soren. Maybe this was what his father meant about Rayla’s condition being more harmful to her mentality than he thought.

“Do you need anything? Do you need to lay down? Maybe some water.”

“No, no, I’m okay. Thank you.”

Soren didn’t say a word. He was about to just leave and carry on with his day but he felt bad about leaving the girl so sad. She did look confused and lost but not crazy or delirious as his father claimed.

“You know, I just saw Prince Callum in the armory a couple of minutes ago,” Soren said with a casual shrug and a smile. “In case you’re interested.”

Judging by the way the corners of her mouth began to turn upwards Soren knew his subtle invitation did just the trick. He turned around, whistling merrily while swinging his sword around in one hand. He looked over his shoulder and smirked when Rayla headed towards the armory.

(~)

Just as Soren said, Callum was in the armory, mainly looking at the bo-staffs, pursing his lips in thought as he examined them one by one. Rayla snickered at the young prince’s intense focus, as though the fate of the kingdom depended on his decision. Ever since Callum started training with Harrow the prince became more and more fascinated with the sport, memorizing every move and surprise attack his mother knew. Callum never imagined himself as a warrior and even now he still didn’t consider himself to be one, but something about the way the wind currents wrapped around him like wings curling inwards before spreading out to take flight just pulled him deeper and deeper into the sport.

Rayla hid behind a wooden practice dummy as she observed Callum. Typical of him to get lost in a sea of his own thoughts. Though Rayla did wonder what he was thinking about, it had to be very important to make him lose track of the reality around him.

He finally found the perfect staff, it was slim and made of sturdy lightweight material. He held it in one hand and performed the same trick he did with his charcoal pencil then swung the staff to the side like a sword. The speed and precision almost cut off the second practice dummy’s head clean off.

Rayla’s mouth flew open. She knew Callum was getting better but his performance was borderline knight levels of skill. Callum took a stance, closing his eyes as a light breeze blew into the armory through the windows. Rayla sensed the wind, the direction in which it was going, and how fast or slow it was moving. She watched, mesmerized as Callum moved his body in accordance with where the wind was swirling. It was a beautiful fusion between a battle stance and rhythmic dancing. Rayla was so lost in his performance that she didn’t notice she was meaning against the dummy, which tilted to the side and fell to the floor before she could catch it.

Callum stopped his movements, holding the staff with both hands and pointing it at the intruder with a horrified look on his face, a contrast to the confident and focused expression he had on earlier. 

“Who’s there?” Callum lowered the staff and blushed when he saw who it was. “Rayla?! What are you—How long were you standing there?” Callum stuttered, hiding the staff behind his back, not that it did much help since one could still see the other end of the stick poking out from behind his head.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you I was just, um...“ Rayla wanted to melt into a puddle and disappear into the floorboards. She looked like such a weirdo sneaking into the armory and watching him practice without knowing anyone was watching. She was planning on surprising him with a jump scare for good measure but she was so lost in his performance that she completely forgot.

“How much of that did you see?” Callum asked, still with his staff behind his back.

“Only... all of it. But, Callum, you were really good. Did Harrow teach you that?”

Callum shook his head, “No. I was just...” Callum clenched his staff with both hands before.

“Just what?”

“Uh, can I tell you something personal?” Callum asked. Rayla nodded. “Have you ever felt like, I don’t know like you see or feel things most people don’t?”

“What do you mean?” 

“I don’t really know how to explain it but, it’s like I can feel the wind sometimes. And not just on my face or in the tress but everywhere, all around me. Moving like an ocean current, thrusting against the walls and seeping through the cracks, or wrapping around me like a ribbon. I feel it more when I move my staff around. It’s like wings opening up to take flight.”

Callum proved this my spinning around in axis like a skater, spinning his staff above his head like a propeller, increasing the wind velocity around him before stopping with his left foot pointing downward in front of his right foot, anchoring him to the ground. When he spun Rayla felt a burst of wind against her hair, pushing back the locks that made their way over her shoulder.

“Wow,” Rayla said, his words and technique took her breath away, both literally and figuratively.

Callum sighed and tossed his staff to the side with the others. “I know, it sounds like the ramblings of a complete maniac. And I know what you’re gonna say, “Oh, Callum, you’re not a maniac, you just see the world in a different way, eh.” Callum said, speaking in a very poor attempt to mimic Rayla’s thick accent.

Rayla scoffed, “I don’t sound anything like that! And when have I ever said ‘eh’ at the end of a sentence?”

“You did that one time.”

“It was in the form of a question, doesn’t count.” Rayla punched Callum’s arm, this time actually putting some effort into making him feel it but Callum just snickered like the cheeky little fox that he was. “Terrible impersonations aside, you were right about one thing. I don’t think you’re a maniac. And no, I’m not ‘just saying that’, I happen to actually mean it.”

“I know.” Callum said with a smile, “That’s why I felt comfortable telling you.”

Rayla blinked in surprise. “Oh.” She said. It was literally all she could think of to say. Callum just shared with her something deep and personal. It wouldn’t be the first time, but still, it felt nice to know he trusted her that much to be honest like that.

“Does anybody else know you feel this way? What about Ezran?”

“Hey, I love Ez, but there are some things even he wouldn’t understand. Heck, I’m not sure I understand it.” Callum sat on a bench near the window. Rayla took a spot beside him. “I guess I’m still trying to figure myself out. Who I’m supposed to be or who I want to be.”

“I know how you feel,” Rayla said, curling her fingers over her pendant. “But at least you have options, I don’t have anything aside from this one trinket.”

“That’s not true, Rayla.”

“You know that’s not my real name.”

“Does it matter? Whatever you call yourself it doesn’t change the kind of person you are.”

“And what kind of person am I, Callum? Because all I see is a scrawny little girl with no past...” Rayla sighed, staring down at her hands, loosely clasped together, “And no future.”

“That’s not what I see,” Callum said, and Rayla dared to look back at him. “I see the bravest, smartest, and funniest girl in all of Katolis. You go out of your way for people no matter who they are, and you’re never afraid to try new things. Even if you don’t remember your past, yet, I doubt the girl you were before would be any different from who you are now. Rayla, you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

Rayla tucked her hair behind her ear, pink hues dusting her cheeks. “If you can say all those nice things about me, I’m sure you can think of something nice to say about yourself,” she said. “Because... I think you’re really amazing too, Callum.”

Callum wasn’t entirely sure where this sudden boldness came from, but rather than overthink it, he reached for one of Rayla’s hands, feeling her quickening pulse against his fingertips. Rayla almost chocked on her tiny gasp, feeling the electrical tinge against her skin again.

The sound of crackling pierced Rayla’s ears and the two jumped from where they sat when the second practice dummy just fell at their feet.

“Well, that was random,” Rayla said. Callum noticed that the wooden stand which kept the dummy upright had been slightly burnt on the side, causing it to give way and fall.

“I thought this equipment was brand new,” Callum said as he tried to get the dummy upright again.

“Maybe the guards should get their money back,” Rayla suggested and the dummy fell down again once Callum released it.

“At least the staff’s are good,” Callum said, picking up the one he was using earlier and gave it another whirl. “Guess I’ll have to practice alone while Harrow’s out of town for the weekend.” Callum sighed.

“Or...” Rayla began, picking up a staff of her own. “You could settle with a temporary substitute."

“Since when did you—?”

“I picked up a few things while watching you guys. What’d ya say, Prince? Or are you too intimidated to get beaten by a girl?”

“Ooh, schoolyard taunts. Come on, you can come up with something more clever.” Callum would immediately eat his own words when Rayla tripped him with one swing. “Hey, you swept the leg! That’s my move.”

“So what are you gonna do about it?” Rayla said with a cheeky smile. Callum picked up his staff and properly incited the duel. The two spared for the rest of the day, completely losing track of time.

They were having way too much fun.

(~)

These past four months of getting to know Callum had been one of the highlights of living in Katolis. While Callum did have a tendency to get a bit overexcited about things like a little kid, Rayla found it both dorky as well as endearing. She loved seeing the way his face lit up like fireworks whenever he showed her all the wonders Katolis had to offer, from the adorable shops in town to the many forests and rivers. Though, when it came to the river Rayla didn’t feel all too comfortable. Staring at the water made her feel nauseous for some cryptic reason. She tried to deny it at first but Callum, ever so intuitive, immediately picked up on her unease and concluded maybe she wasn’t a fan of rivers.

Rayla couldn’t explain it, all she knew was that she didn’t like being around large bodies of water, she could admit to the beauty of the waterfall but only from a safe distance. Maybe it was tied to a past experience she, of course, couldn’t remember. At first, Rayla was worried she had hurt Callum’s feelings but he didn’t mind. Since then he made sure to remind himself of this the next time they went out.

Rayla internally swooned at Callum’s understanding. He was by far the sweetest most thoughtful guy in all of Katolis. Just thinking about him always managed to inspire a smile on Rayla’s face and brighten up her mood.

Their closeness did not go unnoticed by the rest of the castle staff. The maids would gossip amongst themselves about where the had run off to and playfully imagining what their wedding would be like. Whenever Harrow wasn’t available to train Callum, Rayla would substitute. The guards would secretly bet on who would win first. Anyone who bet on Rayla often won, but Callum managed to surprise both her and the guards every once in a while.

The following days were the busiest yet. Callum’s sixteen birthday was only a week away and everyone in the castle was hard at work getting everything ready. Callum wasn’t looking forward to the fancy parts of his birthday, but it was customary for every citizen in Katolis to celebrate the birthday of a member of the royal family, and Callum was no exception.

On the week before his birthday, Callum came to visit his step-father in his study. The king looked up from his work and smiled, happy to see his son and more than happy to take a break from his boring work.

“Hello, Callum.”

“Hey, do you have a minute? Unless you’re busy if you are I can come back later.”

“Oh, no, no, I was going to take a short break anyway. What’s on your mind?”

Callum closed the door behind him and straightened his poster to an exaggerated level, he looked like he had been glued to a pole against his will.

“Well, I was hoping you could help me with something.”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Oh, boy. Uh, it’s kind of a weird question. Not too weird, just a little weird.”

“Callum, whatever it is you can tell me. What happens in the study stays in the study.”

“Okay. Okay.” Callum took a deep breath and asked, “When you met mom how did you know when was the right time to ask her on a date?”

The king smiled, putting two and two together. “Ahh, I see. This wouldn’t happen to have had anything to do with a certain pretty blond girl by any chance, would it?”

“I’m not being very subtle, am I?”

“No, but to be fair subtlety is not a man’s specialty.” Harrow patted the side of the bed, inviting Callum to sit. “So, you want to ask Rayla out on a date.”

“Actually, I want to ask her to be my date to the gala.”

“Even better!”

“So, how do I do it? How do I ask Rayla to be my date without feeling like I’m going to puke on her shoes?”

Harrow patted Callum on the back and pulled his step-son close. “Oh, Callum. My boy. There are no words in the English language that will make you not nauseous at the thought of telling the girl of your dreams how you feel.”

“Thanks, great pep talk,” Callum said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes in annoyance.

“But you shouldn’t let that stop you. Being nervous is a given, you can’t escape it. What’s important is that you pave through those worries and say what’s in your heart. Besides, a girl who sticks around no matter how many times you embarrass yourself is always someone worth fighting for.”

Callum blushed, remembering all of the times in which he made a complete fool of himself, and yet Rayla never made fun of him for it. Not even once. There were times in which she would tease him, calling him things like “dummy” or “doofus”, but it was never mean spirited and never meant it as a means to tear down his insecurities. If anything, Rayla was the most encouraging and motivational person Callum had ever met. She was upfront and honest but also sincere and generous, selfless and caring, brave, and smart, not to mention funny.

She was absolutely amazing and definitely someone worth fighting for.

“Also the scenery helps,” Harrow said.

“The scenery?”

“Oh, yeah. You can never go wrong with the ideal romantic setting. A sunset, a walk on the beach, or a meadow.”

“A meadow... that’s it! Thank you, Harrow! I know exactly what to do.” Callum hugged his step-father and hurried out the door but then popped his head through the doorframe to say, “Thanks for the talk, we should do it again sometime.” Then dashed away.

Harrow smiled proudly after his step-son was gone. He treasured these small father-son moments more than Callum would ever know.

(~)

“We made it just in time,” Callum said as he pushed back another vice in his path. They rode their horses into the forest, stopping at a beautiful meadow, bathed in the late afternoon sunlight. 

They tied their horses to the side of a tree and Rayla stepped out into the meadow, the grass reaching up to her waist and long vines dangled from the tall tree arching over her head. Rayla stretches out her arms and spun around a couple of times to take in the wide-open space.

“It’s beautiful, Callum.”

“My mom and I found this place when I was a kid. We would spend hours exploring and making all kinds of colorful little friends.”

Rayla looked around then tilted her head in confusion. “Friends?” She asked. The meadow looked deserted. She didn’t hear a chirp of birds nor squeaks of the squirrels or chipmunks.

Callum put his fingers into his mouth and whistled. The sound traveled through the trees and one by one a colorful bird would poke its head out from the blades of grass. Rayla gasped and jumped out of the way as more and more birds poked their heads one, several poked out from the tress, and others from inside tree trunks.

The birds were about the size of bunny rabbits but with long legs like those of a crane and equally long legs. Each bird came in a mix-match of different colors, no two were exactly alike.

“What are they?” Rayla asked.

“They’re Tittertwill Birds,” Callum said. When the birds opened their pale yellow beaks one by one they filled the meadow with an upbeat musical sound.

“What are they doing?” Rayla asked, still holding onto Callum’s arm.

“They’re welcoming you,” Callum replied. One of the baby Tittertwill Birds flew up and landed on Rayla’s shoulder, fluttering it’s feathers while cooing curiously. A couple more baby birds flew towards her, landing on her head and shoulders, each one cooing while tilting their head in curiosity.

“I knew they’d like you,” Callum said.

“Well, I like you guys too,” Rayla said, tapping the beak of one of the babies. Rayla coed as more of the Tittertwill birds flocked around her, rainbow feathers flying in all directions. Callum outstretched his arms and the birds landed on them like tree branches, one orange, red and yellow bird nestled on Callum’s head making it look as though he was wearing a messy red wig on top of his natural brown hair. Rayla laughed at the comically colorful display.

“That’s nice. No, really. That look suits you.”

Callum waved his arms to shake the birds off. Colorful feathers flew in all directions, one landing on the prince’s nose, making him sneeze.

Callum waved his arms and the birds flew off in all directions, leaving trails of their multicolored feathers everywhere, some landing on her hair. Callum cupped his hands over his mouth, echoing the Tittertwill bird’s melodic call. On cue, the birds responded to Callum’s call, their voices joining together. The prince moved his hands in the air, guiding the birds as they sang. Rayla watched in amazement, Callum was orchestrating a literal symphony of birds.

The Tittertwills flew into the air, spinning and spiraling like a rainbow whirlwind around the two teenagers, snatching several of the nearby flowers with their claws. Callum was leading them while Rayla stood in the center of the meadow, completely taken in by the magical display. For the big finish, the birds rose up high into the sky and dispersed in an explosion of colorful feathers and flower petals that rained down like flakes of snow. One tiny flower fell gracefully on the palm of her hand. the Tittertwills folded their wings over their chests and arched their long necks, bowing to Rayla.

“Callum... that was incredible! How did you...” Rayla paused as one of the birds landed on Callum’s outstretched arm. The left side corner of Rayla’s lips slowly turned up as all the pieces came together.

The bird from the stable, from the forest, the Trader’s Market, not to mention every other time in which a bird would approach Callum without fear, even the always fidgety pigeons that littered the castle courtyard to the dismay of the guards who kept wiping bird pop from their armor. Then one day they just miraculously stopped. They were still seen in the castle but it had been weeks since the last time any of the guards complained about pop on their armor.

“You’re not just good with birds, are you? You can understand them.”

Callum’s eyes widened and the Tittertwill chirped at the prince. Callum sighed, “Yeah. The cat’s out the bag. Callum, the step-prince of Katolis... can talk to birds.” Callum dropped his head in shame, his bangs shielding his eyes from Rayla’s view.

“Why are you so upset? I think it’s incredible!” Rayla said, lifting Callum’s chin up to look at her. “You haven’t told anyone, have you?”

“Ezran figured it out about a year ago, so you’re the second person to find out. But, don’t get too excited, it’s really not that big a deal. Some people just have a deep level of empathy which can allow them to understand animals, or even some species of animals, on a deeper level. It’s even been proven by known veterinarians and doctors. There’s nothing magical about it.”

“If it’s not that big a deal then why the secrecy?”

“I just... don’t feel comfortable announcing it to everybody. Like I said, it’s not that big of a deal so does it even matter if I tell people or not?”

“I suppose?” Rayla said with a shrug, though she wasn’t entirely sure if she agreed if Callum insisted it wasn’t that big of a deal then why did it even matter if people knew or not.

“But, please don’t go telling everyone. Especially not Soren, the last thing I need is giving that guy more ammo.”

Rayla formed an X over her chest. “You have my word, Your highness.” the Tittertwills flew into the trees. Callum took Rayla by the hand and led to the other side of the tree. He pushed the large leaves aside to reveal an old wooden ladder wrapped in flowery vines.

“Come on, I saved the best for last.”

“You are full of surprises today,” Rayla said. Callum allowed her to climb first before climbing behind her. The two teens climbed up the tree, pushing back the long vines and leaves in their path like a long green tunnel. The latter reached an old wooden platform with a safety railing, perfectly molded into the thickest, and the strongest branch of the tree. Rayla stepped onto the platform, checking its sturdiness with her foot before continuing further. the wood was covered in crunched up brown leaves and acorns, with plants already sprouting from the wooden floorboards. It was clearly old but after years of being left unused, it was becoming more a part of nature as the tree itself.

Rayla almost forgot to breathe when she saw the beautiful forest sunset. “Oh my... Callum...”

“My mom and I used to come up here all the time. She and my Aunt Amaya built this little balcony for the three of us.”

“It’s incredible up here. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the view from the castle is breathtaking but there’s just something magical about nature, you know?”

The wind picked up, listing the ends of Rayla’s hair, billowing like trails of a long dress. She closed her eyes to breathe in that sweet forest air.

“Yeah... magical,” Callum said it half a whisper, his eyes not on the sunset or the forest but on the girl standing beside him. When Rayla opened her eyes the first thing she noticed was Callum’s dreamy eyes staring at her. The sunlight framed his handsome face, empathizing his features and his green eyes seemed to glow in the light.

At that moment it felt like the two had disappeared into a world that was all their own. There was no war, no fear, no stick-in-the-mud mages sticking his nose up at anything he didn’t like. It was just the two of them and nobody else.

Rayla was the first to break the spell when she realized she was already starting to lean in closer to Callum’s face. Control yourself, Ray. She told herself, using the nickname Claudia had given her months ago.

“So, Uh, big day next week,” Rayla said, awkwardly twirling a strand of hair with her finger.

“Huh? Oh, right. My birthday.” Callum clenched his fists till his nails pierced through his fingered gloved to his skin. Getting lost in Rayla’s eyes nearly made him forget the question he wanted to ask her.

“Are you excited?”

“A little,” Callum said, his voice becoming high pitched which meant he was lying.

“Come on, it can’t be that bad.”

“You’re half right. The worst part about most birthdays is the traditional royal gala. Not even a step-prince can escape it.”

“Oh. A room full of stuffy dukes and duchesses sipping champagne and flaunting who has the largest treasury.”

Callum formed thumb and index finger into a circle over his left eye, pretending he was wearing a monocle, “Good evening, Lady Rayla, fancy meeting you on this moderately fine establishment.”

Rayla giggled and did a low curtsy, “Sir Callum of Katolis, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Why of course it is. After all, I am so filthy rich my bathtub is literally made of gold and my ballroom is large enough to house seventeen elephants. Which I also happen to own. Does King Harrow own seventeen elephants? Ha! And he calls himself a king.”

Rayla couldn’t hold herself together. She burst out laughing so loud some of the birds flapped their wings in response. She wiped away a tear. “I take back what I said, you a master at mimicry.”

Callum took a bow, “Thank you, thank you. I’m here all week,”

“But seriously, there has to be something fun to do, right?”

“Yeah, there is. A lot of the other monarchs are actually really nice. Though I’d keep away from Prince Kasef, and if he talks to you keep the small talk as small as you can.”

“Why? What’s wrong with him?”

“Let’s just say he’s not the most forgiving person, unlike his dad. Especially not after Claudia punched his nose when he hit on her last year. I hear it’s still swollen.”

“Is it wrong that now I kind of want to see that?” Rayla said with a chuckle. Callum granted her wish by showing her two sketches of the event. One of Claudia giving Kasef the punch and the second one with the prince’s nose bandaged up. “Well, now I know who I’m not sharing a drink with.”

“But I admit the best part about it is the lighting of the lanterns. It’s a tradition my mom made up on my first birthday in the palace.” Callum went to the far back of his sketchbook to reveal a line of drawings of himself and his family over the years. The drawings became more and more detailed with each passing year, with Callum ending at the very first one he ever made, and it showed. The people were barely recognizable stick figures with only Ezran being absent, indicating this was made before he was born.

“Every year I would make a new family portrait, it became kind of a yearly routine for me. Mom got the idea of having everyone in the kingdom make a family drawing onto a paper lantern, it didn’t matter if they looked good. At the end of the night, everyone would light up the lanterns and watch as they floated up into the sky. We do the same on Ezran’s birthday too, and on my mom’s since she passed, and even on Harrow’s. It’s become a tradition for everyone, actually.”

“That’s such a great story. Your mother keeps getting more and more amazing with every story you tell.”

“She was really great. With her around, I didn’t feel so out of place in the castle because we were both outsiders in away.” Callum fiddled with his fingers over the railing. Rayla joined him, linking her arm around his.

“She would be so proud of you, Callum.”

“Thanks.” Callum’s heart leap when Rayla placed her head on his shoulder. Above his head, Callum heard the Tittertwills chirping. One was pointing his wing at Rayla. Callum didn’t want to spoil the serenity of the moment but if he didn’t ask her now he would lose his nerve.

“R-rayla,” Callum spoke, but his voice came out cracked so he had to clear his throat before trying again, “Rayla, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Well, there’s this tradition. Actually no, not so much of a tradition, it’s not mandatory or anything and you don’t have to agree or anything, you don’t have to feel pressured or—“

“Callum!” Rayla grabbed him by the shoulders to snap him out of his blubbering state. “Remember to breathe.”

“Right, sorry.” Callum inhaled and exhaled a couple of times until he was relaxed enough to continue. “Rayla, would you do me the honor of being my date to the gala?”

Rayla froze. Did... did Callum just ask her to be his date? His _actual_ date? To his own birthday party? As in, a romantic date? The kind of things a person would ask another person to unless they liked said person? As in _like_ -like?

“You... you want me... to be your date?”

Callum was starting to panic. What if he made her uncomfortable? What if she said ‘no’ and then things would be weird between them? Had he been misreading her intentions this entire time? Was it all in his head and she didn’t see him that way?

“As I said, you don’t want to.”

“No,” Rayla responded, but that wasn’t her answer. “Wait, no, I didn’t mean—“

“No?”

“No! Yes, I mean—No wait, Yes.”

“Okay, kind of getting mixed signals here.”

“I didn’t mean ‘No’ as in ‘No’ to your question, I meant ‘No’ and in I don’t not want to go with you.” Rayla clenched her fists and grunted in frustration. Not even she understood what she was saying. “What I meant to say is... Yes. Yes, I will be your date.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Do you want me to change my mind?”

“No! No, no, and I really do mean, ‘No’.”

“Good, because I’m not taking back my answer.”

“Great!” Callum couldn’t contain his elation and relief. He felt he was on top of the world. The girl of his dreams just said yes to being his date to his birthday gala. “Phew. I thought for sure I was going to mess this up.”

“Wait a minute. Did you plan all of this just so you could ask me out?” Rayla said, causing Callum to stiffen his posture.

“I...um...I’m sorry?”

Rayla sighed and rolled her eyes. “You are such a doofus,” she said in a rather ominous tone while folding her arms across her chest. Callum gulped when Rayla grabbed him by the scarf and the prince mentally prepared himself for what was to come. Now his nose would match Prince Kasef’s.

Instead of a punch to the nose or a slap to the face, Rayla leaned in and captured his lips with hers. Callum froze for a quarter of a second before melting into the sensation. He had dreamt of this moment so many times and now it was finally happening. Rayla’s fingers released his scarf and her hand found its way over Callum’s heart, feeling the intense thumping against her palm. His heartbeat was in sync with her own.

This was probably the most impulsive and reckless thing Rayla had ever done by far. Kissing the prince of Katolis on instinct would be seen as disrespectful and probably even forceful, and under normal circumstances, Rayla would never think twice about doing it.

But seeing what Callum went through, taking her to this private spot that held so much sentimental value to him, and put on such a spectacle just for her so he could ask her to be his date to his birthday gala had to mean something. Who else would go through the trouble for someone if they didn’t like them as more than just a friend?

When Rayla pulled away she was almost afraid to open her eyes. She sucked in her lips, afraid of what Callum would say or do. Was it possible that she completely misread his signals? If she did she swore she would take it back and never speak of it again if that was what Callum wanted.

Rayla tentatively opened her eyes, half expecting to see a petrified look of shock or confusion. Callum didn’t open his eyes right away, his lips were still puckered, as though he were expecting her to keep going. When he finally did open his eyes he didn't look embarrassed or shocked. He was smiling as though he had just woken up from the best dream ever.

“Wow,” he whispered.

“Was that okay?” Rayla asked bashfully.

“Yeah. Definitely okay.”

“Good. Because I’m _definitely_ not taking that back either.”

“Good.” Callum leaned in for another kiss, his hand cupping her cheek and his free arm found her waist, gently pulling her in.

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this took me a long time to get to, I was busy last week doing a very elaborate commission and I’ve been too busy falling in love... with my new kitty!
> 
> We recently adopted the cutest little fire-ball this week and she has taken up a lot of my time. We named her Haru, which is Japanese for Springtime/Sunshine. I was originally going to name her Marinette or Shiro (if it was a boy) but Haru just felt right.
> 
> Also, I sincerely apologize for any spelling errors. I’ve had to reread this, I think, maybe five to seven times already and each time I felt the urge to include something else or rework a scene I wasn’t entirely satisfied with, and long hours on the screen make my eyes tired so it’s apparent that I miss a couple of errors even as I proofread. I don’t have a beta reader for this story so I’m really trying my best.  
> On another note, HOORAY FOR THE RAYLLUM KISS!! Now before you start saying “isn’t it too early in the story?” Nope. Because they’ve been getting to know each other for months now and I wanted the group to have a grounded dynamic before they ventured out on their adventure. Besides, once these two start getting the fells for one another there is only so much a writer can do to keep them apart.
> 
> Anyway, until next time we will see more romantic moments and more foreshadowing of the inevitable adventure.
> 
> God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	11. Chapter 11

Claudia couldn’t contain herself when she heard the news. She squeezed Rayla so hard the poor girl was out of breath by the time the mage let her go.

“Okay, you have got to tell me everything!” Claudia squealed, “Don’t leave out any details.”

With Callum’s birthday in less than five days away, Claudia insisted on taking Rayla dress shopping. The minute she heard that Callum officially asked Rayla to be his date it became all the more urgent to find the perfect dress that will knock Callum’s socks off.

“There’s not much to tell,” Rayla said as the two walked through the dress shop. Claudia already had five options draped over her arm while Rayla was just looking, unable to decide which dress was best. This was her first time shipping for gowns so she was completely out of her element.

“He took me to this meadow, we played around with the birds, talked and then he asked me. End of story.”

“Ugh! You are no fun, Ray.” Claudia groaned. “There’s got to be more to it than that.”

In truth, there was. Rayla hadn’t told Claudia about the kiss yet, mostly because she knew that if she did tell her, Claudia would break every glass within a hundred-mile-radius with her screaming.

“Well, maybe. But, I’m not telling you.”

“What?! Come on, now you _have_ to tell me?” Claudia whinnied like a five-year-old at a toy store while shaking Rayla’s arm, gathering more than a couple of looks from the customers. Claudia examined Rayla’s face, expecting to find something that would give at least a clue to what it was she was hiding. When she saw the way Rayla bit her bottom lip and tucked her hair behind her ear, Claudia got her answer.

“Wait. Did he...” Claudia gasped and covered her mouth before leaning in close to whisper. “Did he kiss you?”

Rayla hid her red-hot face in her hands. Claudia inhaled sharply and then swallowed, exhaling slowly from her mouth. “I’m calm. I’m not going to freak out. Not. Going. To freak.”

Rayla tapped the shoulder of one of the shop workers. “Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to have a very thick pillow I could borrow, do you?”

The worker didn’t ask why she needed the pillow. The puffed-up look on her raven-haired friend’s face said it all. She gave Rayla a random pillow and Claudia snatched it. She screamed into it as hard as she could. But not even the thick pillow was enough to completely block out the mage’s screaming. Once she was done she pulled the pillow away from her face, complexly out of breath.

“Two for one sale. She’s really excited about it.” Rayla said to the surprised and confused looks they received from the customers. Claudia placed the pillow down and did slow, deep breaths.

“Okay. Now I’m calm.”

“And that’s why I didn’t tell you right away,” Rayla said.

“Fair, but this is great! Stan now owes me twenty bucks.”

“Claudia, you can’t tell—Wait, you bet on this?—Never-mid, you can’t tell anyone.”

“Why? How many girls can say that they’re dating the prince?”

Exactly, he’s the prince.”

“So what? You know Callum doesn’t care about that stuff. And if you’re worried about Harrow, don’t be. He adores you. Heck, he’d affiliate the wedding himself if you asked.”

“That’s not funny, Claudia.” Rayla groaned, shaking her head. “Can we stop talking about this right now? We still need to find Callum’s birthday present and my dress.”

“Fine.” Claudia grabbed Rayla by the shoulders and leaned her face so close to her face the tips of their noses touched. “But mark my word, we are going to find you the most perfect date-worthy dress even if I have to pry it from some tramp’s cold head hands once I spray her with snake sprite venom that will make her smell like skunk oil for two weeks,” Claudia said in a dark tone.

“Your vindictive mind never ceases to amaze me.”

“Aww, thanks.”

(~)  
  


For the first time in years, Callum was actually looking forward to the gala portion of his birthday celebration. Excited and nervous at the same time.

Tonight was his first date with a girl. The most amazing girl in the world., Rayla.

Rayla was different from anyone Callum had ever met. He could go on and on about how amazing she was. How she was kind, smart, daring, and strong. He couldn’t stop thinking about their first kiss in the forest. At first, Callum feared that he had dreamt it all, but Rayla proved him otherwise when he saw her in the hallway the next morning when she placed a light peck on top of his lips when no one was looking. It was quick and short but it was all the evidence he needed to know that he didn’t imagine the whole thing.

And tonight, it didn’t matter how many people were staring, it was going to be just the two of them. Well, them and Callum’s family, of course. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face once they released all of those lanterns later tonight.

The party wouldn’t officially start for another two hours, but by then the guests were already arriving. Callum adjusted the collar of his suit. A red crimson jacket with gold lining, the official colors of Katolis. His pants were a dark blue, similar to the color of his signature jacket. His red scarf was absent and a golden circlet crown laid on the bed.

Callum dusted off his sleeves and examined himself in the mirror one last time. He tugged on the edges of his right eye, opened his mouth, outstretching his tongue. Lastly, he checked his teeth to make sure there was nothing in between them. Once satisfied he went to his hair.

Ezran was already dressed, wearing a similar jacket in the same color as Callum’s, with a gold circlet around his forehead which was parted right in the middle of his forehead. Ezran was looking out the window to see the guests arriving.

“I don’t see Prince Kasef yet. I hope he isn’t still mad. Last time we saw him Claudia punched him in the nose.”

“Served him right,” Callum said, running a comb through his hair. “Hey, does this look good?” Callum asked. His bangs had been brushed to the right, making it look as if it had been sleeked by Bait’s slimy tongue. “Too stiff?”

“Mmm. Well, it could be more up.” Ezran suggested, pointing to the ceiling with his finger. “But I don’t think Rayla is going to care about how your hair looks.”

“When you start dating, you’ll get it,” Callum said, trying to make his hair a little more presentable. While Rayla really wouldn't be bothered if Callum showed up in his usual everyday clothes, that didn’t change the fact that there would still be visiting monarchs and diplomats downstairs. Being a prince also meant looking your best during these types of events. Especially when the event was for him.

“Does this mean I’m going to start talking in my sleep about cinnamon while kissing a pillow?” Ezran said with a playful glint in his eyes.

Callum flinched, fingers curling inwards to form fists. “I really should start locking that tiny door at night.”

“Or you could stop talking in your sleep,” Ezran said. The brothers heard a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Callum replied. King Harrow walked in, dressed in his finest jacket and wearing a long cape with the two towers of Katolis sowed onto the back and his crown around his head.

“Good, you’re both ready,” Harrow said as he walked inside, keeping his arms behind his back. Callum tilted his head and noticed the wrapping paper. The king chuckled at his son having caught him red-handed and revealed what he was holding.

“I was planning on saving this for after the party but, well, you know how much I hate waiting,” Harrow handed Callum the gift. 

“What is it?” Callum asked. The box was almost as tall as he was, and didn’t weight as much as the appearance indicated.

“Why don’t you open it and find out,” Harrow said with a laugh and a twinkle in his eye. Callum laid the box on the bed and untied the crimson bow to remove the yellow-colored lid. Inside the box, beneath a white blanket, was a beautiful staff, decorated with a bright blue stone in the middle, curled by metal plates resembling the wings of a bird.

Callum’s cautious fingers hovered over the item before he lifted it from the box and secured his fingers around it.

“Whoa...” Callum spun the staff around a couple of times to test its weight. It was light in his hand but also sturdy when he moved it around it felt as though he had been using it his whole life.

“It was your mother’s,” Harrow said, smiling at the way Callum admired the beautiful item. “Well, technically your father’s.”

“My birth father?”

Callum froze. He and Harrow rarely spoke of Callum’s birth father, but for the latter it was out of politeness. Callum knew how much his mother and stepfather loved each other and he never knew his birth father so, by all accounts, Harrow was the only real father he ever knew, and his mother’s only true love. Callum’s father was a ghost, a distant memory of a time Callum was far too young to remember. Why miss someone he never knew?

Then again, Ezran never knew their mother and he still missed her. Callum would be lying if he didn’t sometimes wish he could have at least seen what his birth father looked like, or what kind of man he was.

“Yes. Your mother wanted to give it to you when you were sixteen. Even if you didn’t use it, she wanted you to have something of your father. I kept it safe until then.”

Callum sighed, tracing his fingers over the wing-shaped plates, absorbing every detail into his memory. He stared at his reflection on the surface of the stone in the center. It was beautiful and almost as rare looking as Rayla’s star stone.

“I don’t know what to say. This... this is incredible. Thank you.”

“Happy Birthday, Callum.”

Callum gently placed his new staff on the bed and hugged his stepfather. Ezran joined in, as did Bait. Harrow was a man of many talents, but his ability to hold it together wasn’t always one of them. As much as he wished he could have stayed there all night hugging his boys there was a party about to commence downstairs. Harrow wiped his eyes clean of the tiny tears that managed to escape him and dusted Callum’s shirt.

“Alright then, let’s get this pastry started. The sooner we get through the boring small talk the sooner we’ll get to the real event.”

(~)

Claudia added the finishing touches of a potion she was brewing then tucked all of her needed items inside her beautiful velvet bag with yellow floral patterns to match her dress.

Claudia was breathtaking in her floor-length jade-green gown that was cut open on the left side to reveal a lighter shade of light-green with purple curled designs trailing the bottom. She wore a black velvet long-sleeved jacket just above the purple bejeweled waist-belt. The jacket was adorned with golden leaf-like symbols along the neckline, leaving her amethyst copper necklace as the final centerpiece. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant bun tied back by a bejeweled orchid broach. Her color pallet perfectly matched Evie’s wings, hence why she was sold on buying the dress.

Claudia hummed to herself as she re-examined herself in the mirror. Rayla was getting dressed behind the room divider. When she finally stepped out Claudia gasped when she spun around to get a good look at her friend.

Rayla settled for a simple teal-colored dress, long and elegant made out of a shimmering soft velvet fabric that rippled with light cyan colors when she moved. The dress was sleeveless, held by a silver choker around Rayla’s neck with branch-like patterns engraved onto its surface. Her shoulders were bare and around her arms were twin silver armbands with a flowing transparent lace trail that billowed in a nonexistent breeze. Instead of wearing kitten heels like Claudia, Rayla wore open-toed sandals with forest green straps. Around her waist was a vine-shaped silver belt with silver leaves. Rayla’s bangs remained the same but her hair was pulled up into a simple ponytail and she wore a simple dark teal circlet around her forehead, adorned with a tiny sapphire. Around her neck was her star stone, it’s purple coloring complementing the rest of her ensemble.

Rayla spun around once, blushing at her own appearance. As cliche as it may sound, she really did feel like a Princess.

“Oh... my gosh.”

“Claudia, are you crying?”

“No, no, no, no,” Claudia shielded her eyes away from Rayla’s view and looked at herself in the mirror. If she cried now her mascara was going to run. Evie gently dapped Claudia’s eyes with her tail, using a small cloth. Once she got a good grip on herself, Claudia turned around again to look at Rayla.

“I’m okay, just got a little emotional.”

“Do I look that bad?”

“What? No way!”

Claudia took Rayla’s hands and pulled her towards the mirror. “Ray, you look beautiful. I feel sorry for all of those eligible noblemen down there. Then again, more arm-candy for me.”

Rayla rolled her eyes and took a good look at herself. She would have pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming if only she weren’t so taken away by her own image. It wasn’t just because she looked nice, which even she would admit she did, but for the first time since she woke up in that infirmary Rayla didn’t feel as though she were staring into the face of a stranger.

This face, dressed in the colors of a midnight forest and the silver of the moonlight... this was her. After all this time, Rayla could finally look at her own reflection and say...

“That’s me.”

“Of course it’s you. Who else would it be?” Claudia said, snapping Rayla awake out of her internal epiphany.

Rayla shook her head. “Never mind.” She took in a deep breath and felt her body start to tremble. Claudia tried to calm her down with a side hug.

“Hey, relax. You’re going to have a lot of fun.”

“This will be my first royal party. What if I say the wrong thing or spill punch on my dress or—“

“That won’t happen. You’ve got more class in your little pinkie finger than Soren does in his entire body. Trust me, you have not seen him at a buffet table. And if you do, pretend you don’t know him, that’s what I do.”

Rayla laughed, “Thanks, Clauds. I needed a laugh.”

“No problem, now come on.” Claudia linked her arm with Rayla’s, “Your prince is waiting.”

(~)

The party started off no different than the years prior. The squire would announce the arrival of the birthday royal and said royal would greet each and every one of the guests. The rulers of the five human kingdoms brought gifts for the sixteen-year-old. From the kingdom of Duren, Callum received a tray of flower cakes and other flower-based candies. Ezran already had his beady little eyes on the tasty treats. Though, Callum, being the generous brother that he was, allowed Ezran one or two sunflower cookies before dinner.

The ruler of Del Bar gifted Callum with a large bearskin cloak. The cloak in question was too large for the still scrawny prince, but King Florian knew he would grow into it eventually. One by one, Callum accepted the gifts with a smile and a bow, though he wondered where he was going to put so many gifts, many of which he wasn’t even sure he would ever use. The monarchs gifted Callum with swords and shields from their respected homeland, engraved with images of dragons of griffins, and a variety of imported fancy clothing. A bit too fancy for Callum’s taste.

But amongst the sea of faces, there was only one person Callum was searching for. Soren stood beside him for security reasons, snaking on a cream puff from the dessert table.

“Hey,” Soren, with a mouth full of cream puff, nudged Callum’s arm and pointed towards the staircase. “Don’t look now but Prince Kae-Stiff just walked in.”

Callum groaned when Prince Kasef from Neolandia arrived with his father, King Ahling who greeted Harrow with a firm handshake. The two kings were close friends, which was more than Callum could say about Kasef.

Kasef was a tall and handsome nineteen-year-old prince, equal to Soren in terms of stature and muscular build. He had a long slim face with dark brown hair and olive eyes and shared the same dark complexion as his father. Already, he was being admired by a swarm of young woman, but the aloof prince didn’t pay them much heed. His nose, which was glowing red from his last visit, had healed up rather nicely though upon close inspection one could still detect the pain test tint of red over the arch right above his nostrils.

When he spotted Prince Callum he approached the shorter prince and bowed in respect. “Congratulations on your coming of age ceremony, Prince Callum,” Kasef said as politely as he could. He didn’t detest Callum personally, but he wasn’t too big of a fan ever since he caught him and his younger brother laughing at his expense when Claudia punched him.

“Thank you, Prince Kasef.” Callum bowed, “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Yeah, the old honker healed up really nicely,” Soren said, pointing at his nose. Callum slapped Soren’s armor platted chest, creating a short clanging sound. Just because he wasn’t a fan of the Neolandian heir didn’t mean he wanted there to be a brawl between the two.

“We Neolandians have a high tolerance for pain. Your sister’s final blow, while indeed left some damage, was far from anything I couldn’t handle.”

“Is that why you were screaming like a baby girl who lost her dolly?”

“Soren!” Callum snapped.

“What? You were there.”

Callum rolled his eyes. The music came to an abrupt halt and the room was flooded with a sea of gasps and whispers. At the top of the staircase stood two women, both beautiful with their arms linked.

Callum was at a loss for words. When Rayla entered the room he didn’t even notice Claudia beside her, or anyone else for that matter. Even Kasef and Soren seemed to have disappeared from his line of vision. All he could see was Rayla in her stunning teal gown that glowed like the rippling waves of a river on a cool afternoon, and hair that glowed like the white rays of the sun. Around her neck was the star stone pendant.

Harrow, Amaya, and Gren were delighted to see Rayla had joined the party, and taken aback by how beautiful she looked. She quickly became the envy of almost every eligible young lady in the room. Viren, on the other hand, didn’t seem too impressed. He found the girl’s choice in clothing rather scantly at best. His daughter looked lovely as ever, but he was quick to realize that her color pallet matched those of her little snake sprite friend.

As the two girls descended the staircase, Rayla looked like a deer standing in front of the hunter about to shoot its arrow into her heart. “Claudia,” Rayla whispered, “Everybody’s staring at us.”

“I think they’re mostly staring at you,” Claudia whispered as she led her trembling friend down the staircase. With how dead silent the room had become the sound of their heels clicking against the marble staircase could be heard even from the farthest reaches of the ballroom.

“Why?” Rayla whimpered, her grip on Claudia’s arm tightened to the point Claudia was sure she was cutting off circulation in her arm.

“Because you look awesome. Just smile and nod.”

“I can’t breathe.”

“Look, there’s Callum.” Claudia nodded her head to where Callum was, standing alongside Soren and a tall handsome young man who Rayla recognized from Callum’s drawings.

“Oh, no. Prince Kae-Stiff is here too.” Claudia groaned as they approached the boys. “Don’t worry, once he knows you’re spoken for he’ll back off.”

Rayla swallowed a hard lump in her throat once she stood face to face with Callum. His beautiful green eyes sparkled in the light of the diamond chandelier and lanterns of the ballroom. Rayla inhaled and exhaled once and bowed.

“Your highness.”

Callum reached for her hand and gently kissed the back of her palm. “You look...” Callum spoke, “Magical,” he concluded. Rayla was glowing with an otherworldly beauty that could make even the most alluring of faes blush with shame.

Soren’s jaw had dropped down, his cream puff now splattered on the floor. Not only did Rayla look stunning but he was witnessing the events of Callum’s first official date unfold before his eyes. He never knew this day would come and now that it did... Soren wasn’t sure if he felt happy,shocked, or confused, or both. Claudia had to close his mouth just to keep the flies from flying in. Although, that would have been fun to watch she didn’t want anything disrupting Callum and Rayla’s evening.

Prince Kasef cleared his throat to grab Rayla’s attention. “I don’t believe we have met. I am Prince Kasef of Neolandia. And you are?” He asked, taking Rayla’s other hand and preparing to kiss it until Rayla quickly pulled away and gave a small curtsy.

“Rayla, your highness. It’s nice to meet you.” Rayla said, trying to sound as polite as she could.

“That is quite an interesting accent you have there, Miss Rayla. Are you from Katolis?”

“I’m from out of town,” Rayla answered, hoping that would be enough. Prince Kasef’s eyes landed on her other hand, which was still holding Callum’s. Kasef wasn’t exactly the most intellectual prince, but he wasn’t so oblivious that he couldn’t place two and two together.

“Well then, I shall leave you to it.” Kasef bowed once more before taking his leave but did give Claudia a stern glare as he went. Claudia blew a raspberry from behind him. When Kasef turned around Claudia whistled, pretending to be innocent. The four teenagers shared a good laugh once Kasef was out of hearing range.

Claudia tapped her brother’s shoulder, “Hey, Soren, I think I saw someone stealing more cream puffs from the dessert table. We should go and check it out.”

“But I didn’t—Whoa!” Soren was dragged by force to the dessert table by his sister. Claudia gave the young couple a wink over her shoulder. Rayla gently shook her head while smiling. Typical Claudia, quirky but loyal.

“Sorry if I’m a little late,” Rayla said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Turns out getting dressed for a royal ball is a lot more time consuming than I thought.”

“Tell me about it. I had the royal tailor loosen this collar five times already.” Callum tugged on said collar, pretending to be suffocating. “I’m testing to think this was once used as an instrument of torture.”

Rayla giggled. “You know what they say: Beauty is pain.” The two laughed, hardly noticing that the music started up again. “So, this is what a party looks like,” Rayla said, looking over the throne room. She was so nervous she kept scratching her left arm even though there was no itch to scratch. “It’s a lot warmer than I thought.” Rayla flinched when she felt Callum’s hand on her bare shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

“Sorry, I’m just a little nervous. I really don’t want to ruin your big day.”

“You won’t. If anything, you being here makes this night even better.”

Rayla’s cheeks glowed pink. Like magic, his words always managed to either make her smile, laugh, and see the world in a whole new way. She took a deep breath, just like he taught her, and felt her anxieties start to melt away.

When one song ended another quickly followed. One by one, couples flooded the dance floor, waltzing to the hypnotic rhythm of the classical instruments. Rayla gulped. She was familiar with the waltz, she had seen pictures of it, and Claudia did teach her a couple of steps which she was able to perform decently enough. Rehearsing in a room was one thing, but doing it in front of a crowd? Now she knew why Callum hated this dance so much. She could feel the air within the room start to thicken and she held back a dry cough.

Callum bowed and extended his hand to her. “May I have this dance?”

“I thought you hated this dance,” Rayla whispered as she took Callum’s hand.

“I do, it’s so boring.” Callum whispered back, “But don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.” He winked, making Rayla blush.

“Wow, maybe you should turn sixteen more often.” She teased. Something was different about Callum tonight. He seemed bolder, more confident than usual. Granted, Rayla had seen this cheekier and more dynamic side of Callum before, it was a part of him that not a lot of people knew about, aside from Ezran and probably Harrow.

But it wasn’t just tonight, Rayla had been noticing a change in the artistic prince. Callum was becoming a lot more energetic and even restless, using his training with Harrow as an outlet for it. Rayla wondered if this was a common trend for boys when they reached a certain age, or it was simply Callum was coming out of his shell.

When they reached the dance floor, Rayla felt her body stiffen as she tried to get the proper waltz pose right. She felt so out of place like this, surrounded by stuffy rich people dancing in a repetitive circle. How could anybody tolerate this same pattern over and over for almost thirty minutes? She would be out of there after the first five. Ten, tops.

Having done this dance a hundred times, usually against his will, Callum was more familiar with the positions than Rayla was. Step by step they fell into motion with the rest of the couples. So far, Rayla was doing a good job, though she did step on his foot a couple of times.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Callum said with a tiny whimper at the back of his throat. From the corner of the room Callum spotted Ezran poking behind King Harrow. Bait started flashing between his natural yellow to a light pink color in a repetitive three-point pattern. Callum gave his little brother a nod and Ezran answered with a high five.

The youngest prince tiptoed to one of the musicians and whispered in his ear then tossed a gold coin into the air which the musician caught. He winked and signaled to the rest of his crew. A new song seeped seamlessly out of the previous one, subtly so nobody would notice right away. When the difference became more prominent the couples slowly stopped. Rayla gasped.

“Wait, is that...?”

Callum nodded and whispered the lyrics into her ear, _Your song is in my heart_

_It lights the dark_

_So come give me your hand_

So this was why Callum was so calm. He planed this. Classic Callum, going out of his way to make people feel better no matter what, even on his birthday. That was one of the many things Rayla loved about him. As she gazed into his eyes she sang the following verse.

_Now and we'll dance tonight_

_In the blazing light_

_And the years will fade away_

_Fade as you play_

_Play through the dark_

_Play in my heart  
_

Callum’s feet moved to the increasingly optimistic beat of the song, shifting the tip of his left foot to the timing of the violin’s cue. Rayla mimicked his movements flawlessly. The dance felt as natural as it did when they spontaneously performed it in the town square.

The other couples ended their waltz and watched as the birthday prince and his beautiful companion started performing a very different dance. Not a traditional waltz, with elegance and patience, but a dance filled with energy and spirit.

Rayla didn’t feel nervous anymore. She was happy, she was dancing, she was free. The young couple laughed together as they danced, their energy accelerated along with the music. Rayla’s dress spun around her, the material of her gown creating shimmering ripples of green and blue making her look like all the more enchanting. The transparent lace around her arms moved like elegant fairy wings.

The audience gasped and clapped with merriment whenever the young couple did a new trick, never once losing their footing. Callum never danced so much in his life, and he had no plans on stopping. The windows were closed but with every spin and turn or a flick of a wrist he could feel the brushes of the wind against him, spiraling and spinning around like trails of magic shifting and merging together. The whole time, he kept his eyes on Rayla, and vice versa.

Ezran tapped his feet and clapped his hands to the beat. Seeing his father already swaying his body left and right Ezran grabbed his father’s hands and pulled him onto the floor. Harrow gave Viren his drink, much to the mage’s disgust, and joined his son in the dance. Callum and Rayla laughed happily to see the king and crown prince joining the fun. Claudia dragged Soren into the dance too, though the knight was kind of stiff. Dancing in armor was hard enough but also because he wasn’t much of a dancer. Claudia knew this, but that never stopped her from trying.

The rest of the visiting royals joined in, dancing with their respected spouses, friends, and children. Kasef was already receiving dance invitations from the young woman, and Amaya laughed as she watched her brother-in-law trying to dance like a teenager again. Gran invited Amaya to the dance floor. Though she couldn’t hear the words she could feel the rhythm of the music and she followed Gren’s movements, staving her body back and forth while clapping her hands on cue.

Viren remained in his spot near the window until he felt his toe-tapping. He quickly stopped himself but then Claudia came in and pulled his arm.

“Dad, come on!”

“No, no, no, Claudia, I don’t dance, no!” Viren’s protests went unheard and he was forced into the dance with everyone else. He observed the way Rayla moved. Out of everyone she stood out the most with her eye-catching gown and etherial-like movements, and her nature-themed colors stood out amongst a sea of red and gold. For a moment Viren thought he was watching a faerie enter the castle and placed everyone around her under a dancing spell.

Her very presence made him feel uneasy, and when her eyes briefly stared back at him he felt an icy chill go up his spine. For a flicker of a moment, Rayla’s pupils became slits, like those of a cat or a reptile. Viren gasped as he watched her wrap her arms around Prince Callum’s neck, their foreheads touching. The love-struck look on their faces made Viren want to vomit his own dinner.

When the music ended everyone was clapping and cheering, some were sweating and panting from so much movement but their bright red faces said that despite their exhaustion they had the time of their lives. Ezran hugged Rayla’s waist and Harrow kissed the young woman’s hand. Amaya hugged her nephew and his date and planted a big fat kiss on Callum’s cheek.

Rayla and the dark mage locked eyes once more, and just like all of the other times Rayla felt like a mouse being watched by a hawk. One wrong move could spell certain doom. She really did try to be nicer to Viren in the past, but despite her efforts the mage always seemed to have it in for her, even if he never outright said it she could feel the resentment every time he walked into a room and noticed her.

Rayla decided not to give Viren the time of day and turned her attention back to the party. She wasn’t going to let one scour mage’s attitude ruin this night for anybody.

(~)

“Is that the girl you’ve been talking about, Harrow?” asked King Ahling, nodding his head towards where Callum and Rayla were talking.

“Indeed she is,” Harrow said after taking a sip from his gold chalice.

King Ahling playfully nudged Harrow’s arm with his elbow. “You better prepare yourself old friend. Next time we come for a visit it will be when wedding bells are ringing.”

Harrow laughed off the comment. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? More food to stuff your face with.”

“Speaking of the girl, has there been any success in locating her family?” King Florian asked. He was one of the first to reply to Amaya and Harrow’s letters in regards to who Rayla’s family was. He felt heartbroken when he had to reply. The idea of a child losing all memory of her family was just devastating.

Harrow shook his head, “I’m afraid not. But thank you for your concern.”

“I am so sorry I couldn’t be of much help.”

“As am I.,” said King Ahling. “But in spite of it you have clearly given her the home she requires.”

Harrow loved over to the children, still smiling and talking. Rayla was practically glowing, and not just her hair or her dress. She was radiant and confident alongside his sons and she charmed her way into the hearts of all of the guests, including the monarchs who laughed at her clever quips. Rayla really did look like she belonged here with everyone.

(~)

The party carried on as expected. The guest casually chatted and danced to the soft music. Callum and Rayla attempted the waltz again, but after a couple more steps they were already growing bored.

“I can’t tell if I’m awake or sleep dancing,” Callum said. “Is that a thing? Sleep dancing?”

“Here, let me help with that.” Rayla purposely stepped on his foot, making Callum wince in pain.

“Ouch!”

“Better?”

“Much.” Callum laughed, while rubbing his foot.

“Are you okay?” Rayla asked. Maybe she went a little too rough.

“Never been better. Are you thirsty?” Callum asked. Rayla nodded, “I’ll go grab us some punch. Save the next dance for me?”

“I wasn’t planning on dancing with anyone else,” Rayla said with a wink. Callum smiled and walked over to the punch bowl. Once he was gone, Evie, who was hidden inside Claudia’s bad the whole time, popped from behind her shoulder.

“Please tell me that didn’t sound as corny as it did.” She whispered to the snake sprite, who gave a small hiss while nodding her head. “Who asked you?” Evie suddenly curled behind Rayla when they heard footsteps approaching, coupled with the clicking sound of a staff against the floor.

Rayla turned and gasped to see the man standing before her. “Lord Viren.”

“Good evening, Miss Rayla.” Viren greeted with a small bow.

“Um, good evening. Is there something I can help you with?”

“No, no, not at all. I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your little improve dance routine.”

“Oh, um, thank you,” Rayla said, but she knew he was lying. She didn’t see him dance once during the whole thing, he just stood on the sidelines like a stature watching her every move.

“I’ve never seen a dance like that before. At least, not in Katolis.” Viren slowly circled around Rayla, looming over her like a shark waiting for the right moment to snap it’s jaws. “And given your current state of mind, I do wonder where you learned it.”

Rayla tried to think of something fast. What was she supposed to say? If she simply told him she couldn’t remember where she learned that dance he wouldn’t believe her, even if it was the truth. It just came naturally for her, she allowed the music to take the lead and she followed, like a leaf being carried by the wind currents into whichever direction it leads.

“I guess I just picked it up on the spot.” Rayla immediately regretted her choice of words. Yeah, that didn’t make her come off as suspicious at all. Why was she even nervous, she really couldn’t remember. Maybe it was her body’s natural instinct, how was she supposed to know? What did this man want from her?

Viren finally stopped circling her, but that didn’t make things better. “Yes. You are full of surprises, aren’t you?” Viren stared at her, not saying a word. “I wonder what other surprises you have in store for us.”

“Rayla?” Callum came back just in time, holding two cups of punch. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. Miss Rayla and I were having a conversation. Forgive me, I shan’t keep her off your hands any further, Prince Callum.” Viren bowed politely and walked away. Callum eyed the mage suspiciously but his suspicion was quickly overshadowed by worry.

“What was that about?”

“I wish I knew,” Rayla said, taking her cup.

“Gather around, everyone.” Harrow proclaimed, standing in the center of the ballroom. “In honor of my son, Prince Callum’s sixteenth birthday, Lord Viren’s daughter Claudia has prepared a magical spectacle for your entertainment this evening.”

The crowd spoke amongst themselves when they heard this. Dark magic was still considered rather taboo, even amongst humans. Not everyone was open to the idea of killing magical creatures to make magical spectacles, no matter how impressive. For some, it didn’t seem like it was worth the risk.

Claudia expected this kind of reaction, but it didn’t bother her. These people were in for a real surprise... and so was her father. Soren resisted the urge to bite his nails. This would be the first time Claudia would perform her non-dark magic-magic in front of their dad.

“Are you sure about this?” Soren whispered to his sister. “What if something blows up.”

“Nothing is going to blow up. Trust me.” Claudia ruffled her big brother’s hair and stood in the center of the room. Viren observed in speculation. He didn’t realize Claudia was performing a magic trick for the prince. Perhaps that was part of the whole surprise. He wouldn’t put it past her if that were the case.

Claudia whistled and the snake sprites emerged from the flower vases that decorated the ballroom. The audience gasped and murmured at the sight of the winged reptiles with butterfly wings. Claudia opened her little bag of tricks and tossed a sort of white powder into the air. The snake sprites flew into the powdered cloud until there was none left.

“For the spell to work, would his highness be so kind as to dim the lights, please?” Claudia said, nodding to the king. Harrow gave the order to his guards and they snuffed out the candles and dimmed the lanterns that hung on the walls. The audience gasped nervously, clenching onto one another in fear. They have heard of the mystifying terrors of dark magic, who knows what terrors this young lady was about to conjure up.

Their sounds of fright became sounds of wonder when the snake sprite started glowing. Their wings and scales illuminated the room in a rainbow of color. They flew in formation, creating beautiful patterns in the air. The audience was already enthralled, but Viren was perplexed. 

“What kind of spell is this?” He asked. “When did she say the incantation?”

“Oh, she probably already said it and you just didn’t hear,” Soren said, trying not to sound more nervous than he really was.

Claudia reached for her bag again and revealed glowing stones in her hands. One by one the snake sprites took a stone with their tails. They shook their bodies, causing the dust particles to burst out of them. The stones on their tails glowed a different color for each, and wherever they flew, the colorful dust followed them like trails of pixie dust.

From the audience’s perspective, it seemed as though the flying snakes had disappeared, puffing away in a burst of color, and the trails of dust began taking on the shape of various items like mountains and flowers, rivers and streams, horses, wolves, cats, foxes and butterflies, even aquatic creatures like dolphins and tropical fish. In the center, Claudia waved her hands, directing her little friends all through their routine. Claudia pulled out a wooden stick, with a stone tied to the tip, and dipped it in the jar of glowing dust.

With the magical stone manipulating the dust, Claudia moved the particles around her like a ribbon alongside her tiny friends, dancing in a beautiful display while dazzling the crowd with more illusions.

They went ordinary animals to magical ones. Beings like mermaids, pixies, griffins, rock giants, and tiny fire lizards that jumped around Callum before diving into the floor with a splash, transforming into a beautiful unicorn which then spiraled into the air to change into a Pegasus.

Glowing flowers danced above the audience’s heads, bursting into tiny stars that spun around them. Rayla was moved to tears. Claudia was performing magic, real pure magic in front of everyone, and not only did they love it, but Claudia was having the time of her life. The mage’s face lit up as she danced with her tiny friends, bringing smiles and laughter to the crowd, including the guest of honor.

Bait tried to snatch a tiny pixie, which Evie created to toy with him. Ezran giggled when tiny dragons floated around him, tickling his cheek. The dust came together to create a fierce lion, roaring on top of a rock, only the lion had bat-like wings and a scorpion’s tail, meaning it was a manticore. A creature that would normally inspire fear into the hearts of many was instead inspiring intrigue and beauty.

For the final trick, Claudia had the snake sprites create the symbols of the first five primal sources of magic; water, earth, fire, sky, and ice. Water was symbolized by twin ocean waves, mountains for earth, a gust of wind for the sky, a flame fore fire, and a diamond for ice. All five came together to create the sixth and final element; A bright star appeared in the center of the room, glowing brightly. Claudia tossed red dust into the air which made the star burst and the red dust flew towards the lanterns and onto the candles, filling the room with light once more.

The ballroom erupted into thunderous applause. Claudia and her snake sprites took a bow. Callum couldn’t speak. Claudia had come a long way in her studies, and she did all of this for him on his birthday. She displayed all of the wonders and beauty of Xadia, knowing how much it meant to him.

“Claudia, that was amazing!” Callum said, unable to contain his excitement, he was almost crying.

“Happy Birthday, Cal.” Claudia opened her arms and Callum rushed into the hug. Over Callum’s shoulder Claudia saw Rayla crying. She was so moved but not just because of the magic trick, but because, from where she stood, Callum and Claudia’s friendship was stronger than ever.

Soren was clapping and whistling like a manic, saying to the nearest person, “Yeah! That’s my sister! I know her!”

“See, I told you nothing would blow up,” Claudia said to Rayla and Soren from over Callum’s shoulder.

“Wait, what?” Callum said in surprise while still hugging the mage.

“Nothing, love you little buddy!” Claudia said quickly as she hugged Callum tighter, knocking the wind right out of him and apparently crushing his spine.

“Okay... maybe love me a little less so I can breathe,” Callum said with a strain in his voice while trying to breathe in through his mouth.

Viren’s mouth flew open during the whole thing. The snake sprites flew above the crowd before circling Claudia, showering her with tiny snake kisses. He had never seen her so happy, but his joy over seeing the smile on his baby girl’s face was snuffed out by the fact that this spell was unlike anything he had ever seen.

It was definitely magic, no question about it, but Claudia’s method was... it was unheard of. No incantation and the magic didn’t come from her own hands but from items, she forged together with the aid of her snake sprites. Should this even be considered magic if she didn’t absorb it into herself first before casting it?

Once again, his attention landed on the platinum blond girl currently hugging his daughter. Yet another surprise, curtesy of Rayla.

(~)

When it was close to midnight, the entire royal family, including Viren and his children, and Rayla beside Callum, stepped out into the balcony overlooking the citizens of Katolis. In their hands, they held a paper lantern, each with a drawing of their respected families. Some looked like works of art while others were stick figures clearly drawn by children or people who didn’t have a talent in art. These people weren’t embarrassed, because it didn’t matter how good the image was, it just needed to portray their respected families, big, or small.

In the center of the balcony was a small pedestal with something currently covered by a red blanket. Harrow spread open his arms to address his subjects.

“Citizens of Katolis! Honored and esteemed guests. Tonight we celebrate a turning point in a young man’s life. My son, Prince Callum came to us nine years ago today with his mother, our beloved Queen Sarai. Words can not express how much they have both changed my life.” Harrow extended his hand and had Callum stand right next to him, with one arm over the prince’s shoulder.

“As is tradition, one invented by Sarai herself, we hold on our hands a lantern, each with the image of our respected families. As we light them into the night sky to remind us that no matter how dark things may seem we can always count on our loved ones to light the way, so long as we keep looking up.” Harrow turned to his son, “Prince Callum, would you do the honors?”

Callum nodded and gently removed the red blanket to reveal their lantern. He extended his hand to Rayla. She blinked, a little confused but took his hand none the less. Callum turned the side of the lantern to reveal a beautifully detailed portrait of his family that he drew himself.

It included himself, King Harrow, Ezran, Bait, and... Rayla herself.

She gasped, no knowing what to say. Callum smiled and lit the lantern, lifting it into the air until it floated away. One by one the other lanterns lit up and floated into the night sky. All of the streetlights in Katolis had been blown out, leaving only the lanterns as the kingdom’s only source of light.

As Rayla watched the lanterns float away she saw the constellation of Draco glistening high above. She reached for her pendant, rubbing it against her fingers, her thumb brushing against the engraving on the back.

“To the stars,” Rayla whispered. She was sure nobody else heard her, but it didn’t matter. She may not remember who gave her the pendant or where it was from, but now she understood what the words meant.

Rayla’s attention wasn’t just drawn to the lanterns, it was drawn to the prince beside her, currently intertwining his fingers with her own. To his younger brother and his glow toad, leaning against her waist as she held him close. To the kind-hearted king who wrapped his arms around his sons and Rayla. To the general and her interpreter, to the raven-haired mage with tiny snake sprites on her shoulder and she lovably goof of a brother.

It wasn’t the lanterns themselves that shined brightly, it was the love that surrounded her. Callum was right before, she had been trying so hard to find who her family was that there were times in which she didn’t realize that her family... could have been right in front of her.

(~) 

Once the party was over, and everyone returned to their homes, the monarchs preparing to retreat to their guest's chambers for the evening before leaving the next day. The lanterns had all but dispersed. Few still lingered in the sky, spared enough to make out the stars. The once joyous and energized evening had become somber, but tranquil.

Callum stood on the balcony, enjoying the quiet. He couldn’t sleep, not after tonight. Usually after his birthday he would be tired and worn out, but for the first time he felt he could stay up for hours. There was a restless sensation vibrating inside him like a purring kitten.

Callum turned around to see Rayla, still in her gown but she had long since removed her circlet and lace attached to her twin armbands. Her hair was down and was walking around barefooted. She held something in her hands. A wrapped box.

“I was waiting until after the party to give this to you. This dress doesn’t have any pockets.” Rayla groaned at her poor attempt at a lighthearted joke.

Callum laughed it off and accepted the box. It was small but he didn’t care about the size of the present, only the thought behind it. Callum undid the ribbon and removed the lid. The interior was covered in a soft cyan velvet material with charcoal pencils stacked side by side. On each one was a carved image of a mythical creature from Xadia, including dragons. Each one was colored in the six main elements.

Blue for water, gray for the sky, white for ice, green for earth, red for fire, and amethyst for stars, similar to the color of Rayla’s star stone.

“I noticed you were running low on pencils and I thought you’d like these.”

“They’re amazing.” Callum put the box on the pedestal that was put there for the lantern and hugged her. “ _You’re_ amazing.”

Rayla hugged him back, melting into his touch. The two stood by the balcony watching the remaining lanterns float away. Callum pointed upwards, “Look, there’s Draco again.”

“He’s quite the stubborn dragon, isn’t he?” Rayla joked. Out of all the constellations, Draco’s was always the most constant. “Always watching. You ever wonder what he could be thinking about?”

“Probably how a scrawny prince like me managed to ask out a beautiful girl like you.” Callum then deepened his voice and spoke from his stomach, “Now that’s a miracle in of itself. Roar!”

“Was that supposed to be your Draco impersonation?”

“Pretty good, right?”

“If you want to be singed by dragon fire.”

“Oh, you think you can do a better Draco voice?”

Rayla accepted that challenge. She cleared her throat and lowered her tone to try and make herself sound more masculine. “Ye better watch your tone, human prince. You’re in the presence of the Great Draco, First King of the Dragons, and guardian of knights of The Old Code.”

Callum then pretended to beg, “Please, Great Draco! Don’t eat me, I beg your forgiveness.”

“Ugh! Eat you? Disgusting. I don’t know where you’ve been.” The two shared another good laugh, hugging their stomachs as they leaned against the balcony.

“Okay, you win. I think Draco himself would be pleased.” Callum said,

Rayla looked up at the sky, watching the stars that formed Draco’s constellation shimmer like diamonds. She reached for her pendant again. For a moment, she was silent. “Callum, can I tell you something?”

“You can tell me anything.”

“Ever since I woke up without my memories, and whenever I would see my reflection...it felt like I was wearing somebody else’s face. But tonight, when I saw myself in the mirror.... I didn’t feel that way. And I think it’s because I don’t feel like an outsider anymore. Ezran once said that friends are as close to family as you can get, and he was right. You all mean so much to me... especially _you_.” Rayla held Callum’s hand close to her heart, “Callum, you’re the smartest, kindest, bravest person I know. I’m so grateful that you’ve been there for me through all of this because... I don’t think I could have done it without you. I don’t know what else to say except, Thank you.”

Callum took both of her hands in his. “I’m the one who should be thanking you. Since you’ve been here you had done nothing but change our lives. You’re selfless, strong, and caring, that’s what makes you so incredible. That’s what makes you... Rayla.”

Callum cupped the right side of her face with his hand. Rayla leaned in at the same time Callum did and melted into their next kiss. Kissing Callum felt exactly like the first time and she doubted she would ever grow tired of it. Callum was absolutely amazing in every sense of the word, and she loved everything about him. His flaws, his quirks, everything. She didn’t care if he wasn’t a fearless warrior or the most charismatic musician, she cared about his heart, his kind soul, and his compassion towards others and the hidden courage that he was just now starting to uncover.

When they parted, Rayla was so lost in the moment she couldn’t control what she was about to say.

“I love you,” Rayla gasped, her hands flew to her mouth, shielding it from Callum’s as she backed away. Her face turned red and she was hoping this was all a dream and she would wake up any minute now.

“Oh my gosh! I’m sorry, I am so sorry! I don’t know what I was thinking, I—I just got caught in the moment and—“

“I love you, too,” Callum said, cutting her off.

Rayla was flabbergasted, “You... wait, what?”

Callum laughed as he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I love you, Rayla.” He repeated, putting extra emphasis on the L word. “I really do.”

Was it possible to feel like flying even when one’s feet were still on the ground? It had to be because that was exactly how Rayla was feeling right now. She impulsively blurted out to Callum that she loved him. It’s only been six months and they were still only teenagers but... oh, who was she kidding? She didn’t care about that. She didn’t care how long it took, whether it was six months or two weeks, it didn’t matter. She loved him for all that he was, and he loved her for the same reason. It was like something straight out of a fairytale, too good to be true, yet Rayla knew in her heart that this was as real as real could get.

“I love you too, Callum.”

“You said that already.”

“And I’ll keep saying it until you’re sick of it.”

“That will never happen.”

Rayla groaned, “Why were you cursed to be this cute?” She said before pulling him in for another kiss.

(~)

After her performance last night, Claudia knew that the time to confess to her father had finally arrived. But she wasn’t worried about time. This time, she was prepared and she was confident.

She gathered her things, her notes, her items, wrote down a list of spells she was ready to show him, even the plants she had been growing in secret. She presented all of this in his work-study. Soren was there too, for emotional support as well as curiosity. How could his father not be impressed by what Claudia had achieved? After all, she was the magically gifted one of the family aside from their father.

Claudia demonstrated to Viren every spell she knew would impress him. Her freezing spell, her sleep-inducing serum she slipped into a dart-shaped vial which could be shot at a distance by blowing into a stick, almost like shooting an arrow with just one hand.

Next, she revealed her favorite of the bunch; The Hydra Whip. She harvested the rubbering elastic material from the hydra flower and used it to make a whip that could cut almost anything. She demonstrated with a thick plank of wood. Soren went “Ooooh” for effect.

Claudia showed him her potion that could melt any object, balls of energy that could explode upon contact, and demonstrated a long list of already known spells that could be replicated using other substitutes, like her recreation spell by using only the snake sprites scales, who gifted Claudia the skin they shed every month and the chimera fangs for other purposes other than just the one potion. All it took was a little creativity and a lot of perseverance.

Viren flipped through her notes, reading each and every word while examining the flowers his daughter managed to uncover. All of his books marked these plants as extinct, yet here they were, thriving.

“So this is what you’ve been doing all this time?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but I wanted to make sure I had all the evidence I needed to convince you.”

“Convince me of what?”

“Dad, this isn’t anything new. This is old magic. From before the war.”

Viren’s eyes widened, but neither of his children could tell if it was a look of genuine surprise or hesitation, or surprised-hesitation, if that could even be considered an emotion.

“It’s true, Callum and I have been—“

“Callum?” Viren interrupted, “He knows about this? Who else have you told?”

“Just Callum and Ezran,” Claudia said, holding her hands out and stepping back, her back making contact with her brother’s armored chest. “And Soren and Rayla.”

“You knew about this and you didn’t tell me?” Viren snapped, pointing a finger at his son. Claudia blocked her brother from their father’s wrath.

“Dad, don’t blame Soren. He was only doing me a favor. I was the one who told them to keep it secret, but I always planned on telling you, honest. I just needed some time to perfect my spells. I’m sorry, but if you’re going to punish anyone punish me. Leave Soren and the others out of this, please.”

Viren tried to calm down but it didn’t change that he would have a word with Soren about this in private. Judging from the look on his son’s face, he knew what was coming just as much as Viren did.

Viren sighed, “Fine. But where did this sudden interest come from?”

“It wasn’t sudden, Dad.” Claudia explained, “It all started when I used snake sprite scales for my restoration potion to fix mom’s music box after I accidentally broke it.”

“And did it work?”

“Of course it worked.” Claudia proved this by revealing to her father the music box, which looked even better than it ever did. Viren was stunned, his ex-wife’s music box was such a precious item to his daughter and she fixed it using a different method of magic that worked just as effectively. He... he didn’t know what to make of this.

“You’ve always told me that the old magic wasn’t real. That it was used as a ploy to keep humans under control, but I’ve found proof that it does work and that it can help people. This new information could change everything we thought we knew about magic.”

“And what do you propose we do with this find?”

“Study it, learn it, and maybe teach it to others. There is so much we could do. We don’t have to sacrifice the faes for our magic anymore.”

“And with this you believe we could make peace with Xadia?” Viren asked, not too pleased. Claudia’s fiddled with her fingers.

“Well, that wasn’t my first option but, if it’s on the table, would that be so bad? Of we don’t need the faes for our magic anymore they’ll have no more reason to hate us, and what better way to end a war than mending bridges, am I right? Sounds pretty rational.”

“Claudia, you can’t be serious.”

“Well, I admit there’s still a lot I don’t know yet, but with enough time I could—“

“Time? Time is fleeting as we speak!” Viren snapped, causing the snake sprites to hide either behind Claudia or underneath Soren’s cape.

“Um, are you sure? Because we haven’t had a dragon or faerie issue in months, so maybe things are starting to cool down over in Xadia?”

“Or they are calculating their next move on the human kingdoms while we sleep. And you waste your time doing magic tricks and reading fairytales?”

“But Dad, you’ve seen what this magic can do.”

“ _That doesn’t matter!_ ” Viren yelled, and Claudia yelped, coiling against her brother, who protectively placed his hands on her shoulder. Silence flooded the room.

“Dad?” Soren spoke after being silent throughout. Viren straightened himself before speaking again.

“I didn’t mean to yell, but perhaps this is more my fault. I haven’t told you the true secret to dark magic, Claudia. I was going to wait until you were old enough and more experienced so you would understand.”

“What are you talking about?” Claudia asked.

Viren snapped his fingers and the palm of his hand glowed bright like a lantern, shining a beam of light across the room the lighting a candle by just touching the tip.

“How did you do that?” Claudia asked. She had never seen her father perform that trick before.

“The more we infuse the magic of the faes within our bodies, the more that magic becomes a part of us. A part of our very cores. We become beings of magic. Unlimited power, at any given time. Those incantations, they are merely a stepping stone to achieving ultimate power and knowledge. This was the goal of the original dark mages. This is why the faes will never see reason. They fear us and what we can become.”

Claudia didn’t speak. What could she say? Now she understood why she felt such an odd sensation every time she cast a dark magic spell. Some of that magic was being infused into her system. She... honestly wasn’t sure how to feel about that now that she knew what was really happening. Sometimes she would feel a strange stomachache that would numb with time, but to continue going through it until you were completely full of magic? And how long would that take? Did they even have time?

Was all of this just so humans could be magic just like the faes? Was this why her father was never worried about the creatures of Xadia dying out? Because by then they would have all the magic they would ever need. When Claudia looked over at Evie and her siblings she couldn’t bare the thought of using her little friend’s magic for her own gain. That sounded... a lot less generous now that she thought about it. It sounded kind of... vain and cruel and... one-track-minded.

Wasn’t the whole point of dark magic so that humans could defend themselves from creatures that... wouldn’t even be angry if they didn’t kill their kind, to begin with? It seemed kind of contradictory, especially with all of the evidence she had found.

Wow, Claudia had no idea she could be so analytical. There was a time in which Claudia wouldn’t think twice about questioning her father’s reasonings because there had to be a good reason for them but now... it was like her brain was stepping into the open air for the first time after being cooped up inside a chest for so long.

“Your old magic experiments are impressive but it gives you nothing. It doesn’t make you stronger.” Viren explained.

“No,” Claudia said in a half-whisper.

“What?”

“No. Dad, I think you’re wrong. I think maybe you’ve been stuck in one way for so long that it’s hard to see another option. But, maybe there is more to magic than we realize.” Claudia knew these were the same words Rayla spoke to her not too long ago. “Maybe there’s more to history than we know. I’ve seen proof.”

“This isn’t about what you think, Claudia. This is bigger than you, or me. If we are strong enough to make the right decisions, humans may finally return to Xadia, and take back the great magical lands that are rightfully ours. If we make weak choices history will tip the wrong way and the forces of Xadia will crush not only Katolis but all the five kingdoms!”

“Why do we even need to conquer Xadia? Why can’t we share the land? Explain to me how using faes to give ourselves a power boost was ever going to make them stop attacking us? What’s more important here? The well being of the people or your own ego?”

“ _Enough!_ ” Viren shouted, towering over his daughter who refused to step down. “Why are you turning your back on everything I’ve taught you?”

“You taught me to do what was right. To always make the smart choice, not the agreeable one. I haven’t turned my back on anyone.”

“Let me make this clear: I don’t _ever_ want to see you perform any of this so-called ‘old magic’ ever again.”

“Fine. You _won’t_ see me.” Claudia gathered her things and stormed out of the room. She waited until she was down the hall to let the tears out.

Soren tried to reason with his father, “Dad, aren’t you being a little harsh?”

“As castle guard, it is your duty to serve and protect Katolis, but it is also your duty as a brother to protect and guard your sister.”

“But, Claudia hasn’t done anything wrong and—“

“Am. _I_. Clear?”

Soren was silent. His father was already angry enough as it was, he didn’t need another one of his children rebelling against him.

“Yes, father.”

(~)

“Hey,” Rayla peeked from behind the door. Just as she thought, Claudia was still in her bed, curled up staring at the wall. Evie and the other snake sprites were nestled on top of her, trying to cheer her up to no avail. Callum and Ezran poked their heads from behind Rayla.

“Mind if we come in?” Callum asked softly.

Claudia’s only response was a nonchalant shrug. The three friends carefully entered her room. Bait was balancing a plate of jelly tarts on his back. They were Claudia’s favorite flavor; dark chocolate. 

Rayla sat on the edge of the mage’s bed. A couple of snake sprites flew up to give her some room. “How are you feeling?” Rayla asked, gently tubbing Claudia’s shoulder. She laid down with her back towards them.

“Terrible. I can’t believe I just yelled at him like that.” Claudia caught a whiff of something and turned her head to look at Rayla over her shoulder. “Is that dark chocolate?”

Ezran showed her the plate of steaming hot chocolate tarts. “Fresh out of the oven. I’ve got the blisters to prove it.” Ezran wiggled his fingers, but they looked fine from where she was sitting.

“Okay. I suppose I could get out of my internalized guilt-ridden funk for one tart.” Claudia groggily sat upright and took a small bite of tart... then proceeded to devour the whole thing, not too differently from when Rayla had her first bite of a jelly tart. From the looks of it, Claudia’s mood was getting better already.

“The only that could make this better would be—“

“Hot Brown Morning Potion?” Callum said, handing her a cup of the steaming hot brew she invented a couple of months ago using brown beans she found in the woods one time. It wasn’t exactly magic, but the taste alone convinced her otherwise. One drink and she felt she could take on the world no matter how drowsy and irritable she felt in the morning.

Claudia clapped her hands like an excited little toddler. “Yay! You guys are too good to me.” Claudia ruffled Callum’s hair and drank the brown beverage while eating her chelate tarts. Callum smiled but also grimaced at the combination.

“How can she eat both at the same time?” Ezran whispered.

“The woman’s got a stomach made of steel,” Callum whispered back.

“That explains a lot.”

Once Callum’s stomach was satisfied, she breathed out a happy sigh, followed by a tiny belch. “Excuse me.” She cleared her throat and placed the empty plate and cut on her nightstand.

“Feeling better?” Rayla asked.

“A little. I just...” Claudia growled, her fingers curling into half-fists. “I can’t believe him! I’ve for months on those spells and he won’t even give them a chance?” She clasped her hands over her face and fell back against her bed. Rayla was about to say something but Claudia sprung back up again, continuing her rant.

“I just don’t understand. So what if it’s not dark magic, why should that even matter?” Claudia went on, getting off of her bed and pacing around her room. Her friends sat there and watched as she got it all out of her system.

“The magic works, isn’t that what’s important? And if it can protect us from danger then shouldn’t it be worth looking into? But no, that’s not what he says, even though it contradicts nearly everything else he’s ever taught me and it makes me so.... it just makes me so... _angry!_ ”

Claudia gasped and covered her mouth. She stood still, eyes wide, no blinking.

“Claudia?” Rayla waved a hand in front of her face, “Clauds, are you okay?”

“I’m angry... I’m angry with Dad.” Claudia said, staring out into nothing as she sat on her desk chair. “I sound just like Mom.” She whimpered.

“Oh, no.” Rayla kneeled beside her, rubbing her back. “Claudia, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

“No. I swore I would never get angry with him, but... I don’t know, I just...” Claudia hid her face with her hand. Bait jumped on her lap and curled into a ball, croaking softly in the hopes of soothing her.

“Claudia, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Rayla said.

“But I think I did.” Claudia started to cry. Evie curled up on her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek. She and her siblings have grown so quickly, already adults and ready to go out into the world to have babies of their own. But they didn’t, they choose to stay with her. Probably because they were the first ones to know the full story of her mother. As she looked at the three people in front of her, and the glow toad on her lap, Claudia realized that she could tell them the truth. She wanted them to know the truth.

“I’ve never told you guys the full story about my mom,” Claudia said as she stroked Bait’s back like a cat’s. “Before she passed away, my parents used to fight. A lot. I remembering hearing them yelling at each other even after Soren and I had gone to bed. Then one night I overheard them arguing about my mom who said that she was moving back to Del Bar where her family was from. My dad didn’t want her or us to leave, but my mom said that it was...our choice.” Claudia’s voice cracked at that last part. “They wanted us to choose. How could I do that?”

Callum, Rayla, and Ezran were silent. They dare not interrupt her story.

“So, the next morning Soren choose to stay with Dad and me... I just said that I didn’t want to choose between them. Then my Mom looked at me and told me that I didn’t have to choose. She told me to stay with Soren, to stay strong for both of us. She promised she would visit next spring, and as often as she could. But on the way to see us she got sick and...”

After that, Claudia didn’t finish. The others knew what came next. Rayla held Claudia’s hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that part.”

“It’s okay. I know why you didn’t,” said Rayla.

“Losing her has been the hardest thing that’s ever happened to me. Until now I never understood why she and my dad broke apart like that. I swore I would never make him feel unhappy or unloved... and I failed.”

“No, you didn’t,” Callum said, his voice was soft but firm. Claudia almost didn’t recognize him. Her shy, awkward friend had grown so much in such a short time it was almost a miracle in of itself. “I may not know what it’s like to have your parents split up, but I understand how it feels to have your family split apart by things you can’t control. I had to learn that as you get older you have to prepare for things you’re not ready for. Harrow told me that when we lost Mom. But, no matter what happens we’re here with you.”

“Callum’s right,” Rayla said, “Claudia if you feel that his whole thing is causing a rift between you and your Dad then we’ll understand if you want to stop.”

“What?” Claudia was stunned. She never imagined Rayla suggesting she just quit practicing the old magic just so she could keep her relationship with her father the way it always was. Who was she kidding? That was exactly what Rayla would suggest.

“But, won’t you guys be upset if I did?”

“We’d be even more upset if you kept doing magic but your heart wasn’t in it,” Callum said.

“But I thought you didn’t want me doing dark magic. That’s why you hated me for so long.”

“What? Who said I hated you?”

“You wouldn’t even come near me whenever I did dark magic,” Claudia said, her voice rising along with the hurt she felt at all the times Callum would turn away every time he saw her performing dark magic.

“Claudia, I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I really did try to give it a chance but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t stomach it. But that didn’t mean that I hated you. I could never hate you.”

“But you only started talking to me again when I started doing the old magic.”

“No, it was because we were having fun! We were laughing and doing stuff together like we used to. It didn’t matter if it was magic related or not. I was just happy to spend time with my best friend again.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Told you,” Rayla muttered from the corner of her mouth.

“So, if I decided to stop doing the old magic, you still won’t hate me?”

Callum softly shook his head and smiled. “You’re my best friend, Claudia. That hasn’t changed and it never will.”

Rayla stood up from the floor and hugged Claudia from behind. “We’re all here for you, and we always will be.”

“Even you, Ray?”

“Duh! Who else is going to protect you from venomous scorpions?”

Claudia started to cry again, but this time they were tears of joy. The princes, Rayla, and the snake sprites all huddled around her, enveloping her with love and support. Funny, Claudia couldn’t remember the last time her father ever did this for her.

From the other side of the door, where nobody could see, Soren listened in on their conversation. He could have gone in, but after his conversation with his father, he felt too self cautious about it.

He heard what Callum told Claudia. That despite their differences, he never stopped caring for her or trying to reach out.

A knight is sworn to Valor. His blade defends the helpless. His words speak only truth.

Callum was more of a knight than Soren was right now.

(~)

That night, Claudia went to visit her father in his study. Viren was up late again, going through his books and pulling his hair out at the limited resources he had on his shelves. Claudia placed a steaming hot cup of jasmine tea with orchid petals floating on top.

“To help you sleep better,” Claudia said, noticing the bangs under her father’s eyes. “I’ve noticed you haven’t been sleeping very well these past few nights. You need to rest.”

“I will once we know for certain that we have a fighting chance against Xadia.” Viren looked up from his papers at his daughter, half of his face was cloaked by the shadows of the dimly lit room. Claudia reached for her bag and pulled out one of the fire spider cores, sprinkled it with some kind of powder, and tossed it towards the candle, causing the flame to shine brighter.

“How can you read in this darkness?”

“Claudia, if you are here to try and sway me—“

“I’m not. I understand why you were upset, which is why I came to apologize. I’m sorry for not telling you and I’m sorry if it looks as though I’m not taking this seriously. But I’m not going to apologize for finding something that can help us. I will continue my studies, but I want to continue with my findings too. Not for you, not even for me, but for the truth. I know there is more to this than we think. I’m not going to try and change your mind, but I want you to know that I am with you, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to protect our home.”

Viren didn’t say a word. He knew his daughter’s words were genuine. Though he still had reservations with her theories about the old magic, it was hard to argue with the results.

“I understand. I’m sorry too. I’ve been under so much stress lately that I took out my frustrations on you. Please forgive me.”

“Of course, Dad. I love you, that’s not going to change no matter our differences.” Claudia hugged her father and kissed him goodnight. “Try and get some rest, okay?”

“I will. Goodnight, Claudia.”

After Claudia left Viren turned to the flame. It glowed brighter than any fire he had ever seen. Even she had to admit, it was beautiful. After drinking the tea he closed his book and looked at himself in the mirror. His wrinkles were becoming more prominent, and the purple veins were already sprouting from his neck. He pulled out a book from one of his shelves and the wall opened up to reveal a tiny miniature garden of bioluminescent flowers with tiny butterflies fluttering about. One landed on his finger.

“A willing participant.” He said with a villainous glint in his eye. The room was bathed in purple light and when Viren looked in the mirror again the veins were gone, as were the bangs under his eyes and his tired expression. He looked rejuvenated, healthier even.

The butterfly however, was crumpled into dust at his feet.

(~)

  
Harrow laughed as he watched the children playing in the courtyard. Soren and Rayla were sparring with fake swords and Rayla managed to knock him down for the fourteenth time in a row. Callum gave his hand to Claudia, who was reading a book. The mage groaned and gave Callum his money.

“Next time I’m betting on Rayla,” Claudia said.

“Fork it over, buddy.” Ezran gave his hand to Bait, who croaked in annoyance and handed Ezran his jelly tart from the plate between them.

Harrow laughed until he noticed Viren’s reflection in the glass window. “Harrow, it’s been six months. General and Amaya and her men have tried everything. You have tried everything, but I think it’s time we faced the facts. Her family isn’t coming.”

Harrow sighed. “I know, Viren.”

“What will we do with her? You expect her to stay in the castle for the rest of her life?” Viren asked.

From bellow, Rayla offered her hand to Soren, helping him back to his feet. He challenged her to another rematch and she happily accepted. Callum and Ezran cheered from the sidelines while Claudia was threatening her brother with worm-pancakes again if he lost another round.

“I promised Rayla that so long as she was here that she would be safe, and I intend to keep that promise. Rayla is still our guest and, if she so wishes, I would like to invite her to become a permanent member of our family.”

Viren gasped, “What? My King, be reasonable. She is a stranger, we don’t know anything about her background, not even she knows.”

“We already know everything we need.” Harrow said, his voice echoing within the walls of his chambers, “Unless you have any reservations.”

Viren froze, his throat dry. He knew what Harrow meant. He was going to ask Rayla if she wanted to become a permanent member of the royal family. Of course, she would say ‘yes’, it was no secret Rayla loved everyone in the castle just as much as she loved them.

If Harrow became her guardian then Rayla would become the king’s official ward, his charge.Not exactly a princess but close, though if this little summer romance between her and Prince Callum continued then that could change in a few more years if no more news of her family popped up.

The one thing Viren had over Rayla was that she was just a common girl with no memory. Aside from her natural charisma which managed to sway almost anyone she came into contact with, she had little power over him. But now, with this, that could all change.

Ezran was crowned prince, and if Rayla became his sister-in-law then both she and Callum would have more influence over Ezran than Viren would. For all, he knew Ezran could give Rayla the power to get rid of him, heck she could do that right now if she told King Harrow herself.

After months of denial and self-delusion Viren finally came to grips with the truth; He hated that girl. He hated everything about her, from her independent personality to her irritating foreign accent. She defied him, she defied everything he stood for and everything he worked hard to achieve. She was poisoning the king, the princes, even his own children.

She needed to be taken down. One way or another. If she stuck around then she could very well doom their entire kingdom to the wrath of the dragons.

“No, my King. No reservations whatsoever.”

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Show off hands if you hate Viren as much as I do. (See a million hands) yeah, that’s about right.
> 
> Claudia’s party dress is inspired off of Anna’s coronation gown, minus the cape. Rayla’s is based on the red dress worn by Morgana from the Merlin series, only green.
> 
> Fair warning, I’m currently dealing with some iPad issues which makes me nervous about writing my chapters on here, so I will possibly be using my computer, which is very old and slow but still durable, for my writing. Depending on what happens. To ease my anxieties, I’m going to go a little easy on the writing for a while, so if I don’t update in a while you’ll understand why
> 
> Until next time, where the adventure will fully begin. God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	12. Chapter 12

Two weeks had passed since the day Harrow came to Rayla and offered her the position of becoming an official member of the royal family. Of course, Harrow clarified that he wasn’t referring to adoption, which came as a relief to many, Callum especially.

When news spread throughout the castle staff that Prince Callum and the beautiful mystery girl, Rayla, were finally an item people weren't too surprised. Their blushing smiles and flirtatious teasing didn’t go unseen by anyone. Almost everyone agreed that the two made a very handsome couple.

The one person who didn’t agree with that statement was Lord Viren. The mage felt his stomach upturn whenever he caught the two holding hands and stealing kisses when they thought nobody was looking.

It was at that moment Viren wished he wasn’t so good at blending into the shadows like a phantom doomed to wander the castle hallways for eternity without rest.

As expected, when Harrow brought up the question Rayla couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough. She jumped into the king’s waiting arms, like a long lost child returning to the sanctuary of her father’s embrace. Viren felt a twinge of envy at the two of them. Viren’s own parents perished long before he was sixteen and had long since forgotten how it felt to be held by his own father. A man who never showed that much affection, to begin with, but was far from the worst parental figure in Viren’s life.

It was at an early age that Viren learned the values of hard work and self-reliance. He had to work himself to the bone, sacrificing everything, including the security of his own marriage, to be where he was today. He was born with nothing, a mere farm boy with little to his name aside from a small patch of land owned by his workaholic, business-oriented parents. When he first discovered magic Viren learned to look after himself, to think rationally, and to always stay one step ahead of the curve if he wanted to make something of himself.

It had been his hard life and determination that made him realize humans were much stronger than the dragons and faes believed. He swore he would teach humanity that same level of resourcefulness in order to take back the lands that were once theirs.

_Never stop fighting,_ that was always his philosophy, but Viren knew from experience that brutality and impulsive actions would get him nowhere. He needed to be smart, to analyze the situation so he could come out on top.

This girl was a compromise to everything he had worked for. Just like Callum, she did nothing but stroll into the castle—or in her case, be carried by General Amaya while she was out cold—and almost instantly she won the adoration of everyone with little effort.

Prince Callum was nothing more than a mongrel who got lucky because of his mother. Meanwhile, this girl got lucky because of her beauty and charms, and now she was part of the royal family. She still didn’t hold too much power over Viren yet, after all being the king’s ward didn’t make her a true noble, merely someone who was under the care of one.

But that was now. She already won the heart of one prince, give it a few more years, and once they wed she would become princess, sister-in-law to crowned prince Ezran, who already adored her.

Claudia would take up Viren’s position as High Mage, just as he had always intended for her, but at this rate, she would follow Rayla’s lead and bring about this “old magic” of hers to the court if they let her. Lastly, her brother Soren would succeed General Amaya someday in the distant future, also another position Viren had hoped for his son in spite of his buffoonery. But if he followed King Ezran, who in turn was influenced by Rayla, then Viren’s words would not only be disregarded, they would be silenced altogether.

This girl could bring their entire civilization to ruin, leaving them defenseless against the creatures of Xadia. Viren was not having it. One way or another, he would find a way to break this girl. He couldn’t touch her, not now, but he could sway her. Stir her wrong, show the king the real mentally unstable wrench she really was.

She would never get the better of him.

Never.

(~)

“Find anything?”

“Not yet,” Claudia responded to Callum’s question while she parted the berry coated bushes. The two had ridden towards a small mountainside near a waterfall. Their horses tied to nearby trees, munching on the grass as their riders searched for the second to last ingredient for a particular spell.

Claudia pushed aside another bush and found a large crack hiding behind it, just wide enough for her to slip through.

“Ah! Here it is! This way.”

Callum followed, easily squeezing into the large crack. Claudia searched her bag for a small torch with a rounded glass covering where the fire should be. Inside were the fire spider cores. She gave the torch a good shake and a light appeared, shining like a theater spotlight inside the cave.

“Where did you get that?” Callum asked.

“Cool, right? Instant light in a flash. I call it...a Light Stick.”

Callum squished his eyebrows, “Eh… needs a little work on the name.”

Claudia scoffed, “Everyone’s a critic.”

The two made their way through the cave. “I don’t see anything,” Callum said, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Even with Claudia’s poorly named invention, there didn’t appear to be any sign of what they were looking for, nothing but stone walls all around.

“Where is it?” Claudia asked herself, frustration prickling at her throat until she got an idea. “Wait, I think I know how to find it.” Claudia covered the crystal surface of her torch, submerging them both in total darkness.

“What are you doing? Now I can’t see anything.”

“Give it a minute.”

“The others could—“ Callum stopped when a soft blue glow appeared, growing from a crack opening like a raid growing vine.

“There it is!” Claudia led Callum into the opening, which was deeper than the distorted darkness led them to believe. The narrow pathway grew wider and wider until both could walk shoulder to shoulder instead of one behind the other.

Inside they found an entire eco-system living inside the mountain, bluish-green plants grew from the walls and flowers sprouted from patches of soil on the ground. On the stone walls were glowing mushrooms, and floating all around were tiny balls of light.

Willo-the-wisps.

These tiny fire faes were unique amongst their kind. While they were made of balls of light, basically miniature versions of their desert-dwelling cousins the jinn, wisps used their energy to give light to the plants. The cave was near a waterfall, so the waters seeped into the cave to nourish the plants. Add that with the sustainable light of the wisps and it was no wonder these plants were as healthy as they were.

“Wow,” Callum sighed, practically swooning at the marvelous wonder before him.

“Get your tongue off the floor, lover boy,” Claudia said with a giggle as she put on her gardening gloves and uncorked her jar. These magical wonders never cease to amaze him. Claudia found his excitableness adorable. Like seeing a little kid experiencing their first firework show.

Ordinarily, for a tracking spell to work a mage required the actual body of a wisp, but thankfully Claudia knew that a substitute from the creature would work just as well, if not better.

She cut off the glowing mushrooms with a tiny knife and carefully dropped them into the jar, careful not to splatter the luminescent material onto her clothes.

The result of these glowing mushrooms was fesses produced by the wisps themselves. So basically, Claudia was using poop-covered mushrooms. It was gross, but it got the job done.

Callum almost puked right then and there as he watched her cut the mushrooms.

“Don’t be such a baby.”

“Sorry, I know it’s nature and everything but… you’re basically using wisp pop.”

“Everybody poops, Callum. Deal with it.” Claudia sealed up her jar and removed her gloves, carefully storing them into a bag to clean off later. “We’re all set. Now let’s get back to the others.”

“We better hurry.”

“Relax, I’m sure they’re fine.”

(~)

“This is not fine!”

Soren screamed while protecting himself with his metallic shield while a basilisk kept spewing venom from its fangs.

For the past couple of days, a basilisk was spotted terrorizing the countryside, prettifying livestock and eating the crops of the local farmers.

Basilisk was known to migrate from the east to the west during summer for their mating season. The western meadows were the perfect location to protect them from predators during this time. This one must have gotten separated from the rest of its flock and in its frenzy was causing trouble for the townsfolk.

When this news reached King Harrow, Callum and the others suggested a humane way to capture the creature and return it to its flock. Contrary to popular belief, basilisks didn’t normally attack humans unless provoked and would rather avoid them all together than directly harm them. But when they were provoked, they would spray their attackers with a magical venom that turned any organic creature to stone.

Already livestock and some farmers were petrified from the waist down. Thankfully, this effect only lasted for a could of days, though those last could of days were most unpleasant.

“What part of “don’t provoke it” did you not understand?!” Rayla exclaimed as she blocked the creature's venom with a shield of her own.

“It was about to attack! It did a battle call and everything,” Soren was quickly learning—the hard way—that arguing while trying to shield oneself from a venomous chicken-lizard monster was a lot harder than it sounded. 

“That wasn’t a battle call, it was a mating call. Weren’t you paying attention?”

“Honestly, I stopped listening after ‘mating season’.”

If Rayla weren’t using her shield to save her skin she would be using it to whack Soren in the head right about now. Arguing wasn’t going to help them, they needed to act now or else they would lose the creature, and tracking down a basilisk was a lot harder than fighting it off.

“You corner it from the left, I’ll take the right,” Rayla instructed.

“My left, or your left?”

“Ezran’s left!”

Ezran was hidden in the trees, his cloths face, and hair covered in dirt and grass stains to blend into his surroundings, while Bait changed his colors to match the brown of the wood. Using a spyglass, Ezran got the basilisk in his sight. Rayla and Soren positioned themselves on opposite sides of the creature as it continued to spit out its venom.

Ezran pulled out a wooden tube and inserted a dart-shaped vial into it.

“Steady… easy now…” at the right moment, with the basilisk right beneath him, Ezran blew into the tube and shot the dart at the creature. The basilisk screeched and cawed, spewing venom all over the ground but had little effect on the grass around it.

“It’s working!” Rayla cheered as they watched the basilisk slow down its frantic movements. Its sounds went from aggressive cawing to soothing clucks. The group watched in anticipation as the basilisk grew more tired and fell asleep on the ground.

“Nice shooting, Prince Ezran,” Soren said, seeing Ezran poking his dirt-covered head out of the leaves.

“Is he okay?” Ezran asked. Though the potion wasn’t meant to harm the creature, it was still jarring to watch it collapse with a dart sticking out from the side of its butt.

Rayla lowered her shield and looked over the basilisk. Carefully, and swiftly she pulled out the dart and the basilisk slept soundly. She checked his pulse and smiled in reassurance to the young prince.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be just fine. Once he wakes up he’ll be fresh as a daisy again.” Rayla explained as she helped Ezran down from the tree.

Soren tossed his venom coated shield away, sticking out his tongue in disgust. “All the more reason to get rid of this thing as soon as possible,” Soren pulled out a metal cage from behind a bush and proceeded to place the slumbering basilisk inside it.

“Wait!” Claudia called out, jumping off of her horse. “Not yet! We still need its venom, it’s the final ingredient for the tracking spell.”

Callum quickly jumped off of Chestnut and rushed towards Ezran and Rayla. “Are you guys okay? Are you hurt? Let me look at you.” Callum lifted Ezran’s arms to make sure he didn’t see a trace of petrification anywhere on his clothes or on his face.

“We’re fine, Callum. Ezran landed the shot like a pro.” Rayla ruffled the young prince’s already messy hair, smiling with pride.

“I told you I could do it,” Ezran said with cocky confidence. Callum sighed in relief.

Claudia carefully approached the basilisk, relieved to see that her potion was working. She slipped on her gloves and proceeded to gently open the creature’s mouth. She filled up three vials with the venom dripping from the creature’s fangs as it slumbered.

“There. That should be enough.” Claudia caressed the sleeping basilisk’s neck, causing it to cluck softly. “Thanks, little fella. You’ll be with your flock in no time.”

“What else do we need?” Soren asked.

“Nothing, we’re all set.”

“Great! Let’s go and—“

“Now we just need to find the tallest mountain in Katolis,” Claudia said, which made Soren whine even more.

“Quit being such a baby,” Rayla said, tossing his shield at his chest. “Besides, you’re going to need the exercise for your night shift.”

Soren wished he could forget about that. One would think he would be used to the woods by now, but while the forest itself could still be very creepy even during the day, it was even creepier at night. With the bats, and the owls, and the wolves. Of course, Soren could handle anything that came his way, he did train his body to be a force to be reckoned with, but that didn’t mean he liked seeing those ugly things. Especially the owls with their big eyes staring at you all creepy-like and their heads that could spin around. Soren shuddered at the thought. How did they do that?

Still, it was his duty as a crown guard to keep Katolis safe. He didn’t get the job for being lazy, that was for sure. And climbing up a mountain could be a great workout.

The group rode to the nearest high mountain, the same one Claudia first climbed on her first trip with Evie and her siblings to find the chimera fang. It had been six months since that fateful event and yet the place still felt fresh and new for Claudia. She had become quite the outdoorswoman as of late, and climbing a mountain brought about a sense of exploration for her.

Soren hiked up the mountain, panting and grunting with every step, feeling the sweet burn that came with the workout.

“Alright. Nothing like a good workout to keep the blood pumping. And you know, it’s actually kind of nice. The fresh mountain air, the hard rocks beneath your feet. So peaceful.”

“Race ya to the top!” Rayla said cheerfully as she sprung past Soren, blight as a newborn filly with Ezran on her shoulders. The prince waved his hands in the air, cheering like he was hitching a ride on a Pegasus taking flight.

“You’re on!” Callum called out, dashing past Soren like a swift breeze. Bait was secured on Callum’s head as he ran after Rayla. Neither one showed any signs of exhaustion and their nimble movements made them even faster than Soren.

“Oh, come on!” Soren cried out in annoyance. He knew Rayla was crazy fast, almost impossibly so, but since when was Callum this agile? Ever since his birthday, it was as if the step-prince just woke up one day and said to himself, “Hey, life is for the living!” and started taking advantage of it every chance he got.

“Come on, Soren! The basilisk could wake up at any minute!” Claudia called out, already far up ahead. Rayla and Callum had already passed her. Soren inhaled sharply, nearly choking on air, then puffed up his chest and carried onward.

Once they reached the top Claudia performed the tracking spell. She gathered her things; a wooden bowl, the mushrooms, some red powdered spices, and a couple of rocks to ignite the fire. She sprinkled the basilisk venom and the flames burst, transforming into a trail of tiny golden specks that spun in the air like happy fireflies before forming an archway stretching across the land, past a stream a couple of miles away from the farthest mountain rangers.

Claudia pointed to the end of the archway “There! That’s where the flock is heading.”

“Just in time, too,” Callum said, seeing the basilisk already starting to wake up.

Gently, Ezran placed the cage down and cautiously unhinged the door from behind. The basilisk stepped out, still a bit disoriented. Ezran reached for his pocket and sprinkled some seeds for the creature to eat. The basilisk pecked the food with its beak, clucking happily. The creature stared up at Ezran and tilted its head in curiosity from left to right, then left again.

“Ez, be careful,” Callum warned. Everyone else looked ready to jump in and pull Ezran away from the creature. To their amazement, and relief, the basilisk didn’t shoot venom of screech, but instead clucked and allocated Ezran to scratch underneath its chin.

“It’s okay. We’re not going to hurt you.” Ezran pointed to the hold archway, “Look. Your flock is waiting for you.”

The basilisk clucked and flapped its wings, flying into the air towards the end of the archway. The group watched until both the basilisk and the archway disappeared. Callum looked through his and Ezran’s shared looking glass and saw a swarm of basilisks flying about in a circle just above the lake.

“Mission accomplished, guys. Katolis is officially basilisk free. At least until the summer ends.” Callum said.

“Just as long as nobody crosses their nesting grounds we should be fine,” Rayla said, stepping farther to take in the scenery. She stretched her arms just as the wind swooped down, brushing ip the ends of her hair.

“It’s so beautiful. It makes me wish I had wings so I could spread out and see it all from above.”

“Maybe Claudia can make you some with magic,” Soren suggested, pointing his thumb at Claudia while she was gathering her potion items. She swatted her brother’s hand away.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Transmutation is near impossible with the kind of magic I do. Plus, according to the old texts changing a creature’s natural anatomy by force can cause severe physical and physiological damage to one’s sanity, making even the sanest of mages go mad, transforming them into barely living shells of their former selves!”

Silence draped over the top of the mountain like a cloak, only to be pierced by the whistling of the wind. Claudia had her hands up, fingers curled inwards like claws, her teeth bare and eyes wide like a maniac’s. Soren stood still, his back slightly bent backward due to his sister almost looming over him like a menacing shadow as she described the horrors of transmutation. Ezran hid behind Soren’s cape while Bait literally turned pale with terror.

Rayla wasn’t phased, having heard this skit before, but Callum held her arm, partly hiding behind her. Truthfully, he was more scared of Claudia’s overly dramatic acting than the actual description.

In a blink, Claudia reverted back to her cheerful self, “But, you don’t have to worry about that. most records of those spells have been lost, and not even today’s dark mages would cross that line. Come on, we should be heading back down.”

“That’s the best idea you’ve had all day,” Soren said as he proceeded to climb down. Ezran adjusted his backpack but instead of following the siblings, he stood by Callum and Rayla, who were still entranced by the view.

“Even if we can’t fly it would be nice to see what’s out there.” Ezran said, “Maybe one day we could all go on a trip across the kingdoms.”

“I like that idea.” Rayla said, “No destination in mind, just us and the open road.”

“What would we even do out there anyway?” Callum asked, intrigued by her wacky idea.

“Everything. We would leave no stone unturned, no mountain unclimbed.”

“No river in-crossed?”

Rayla narrowed her eyes, “That’s not funny.”

“I’m just saying if we go along with this aimless road trip idea we’re bound to run into some bodies of water.”

“Then we’ll go around it.”

“What about Xadia?” Ezran suggested, “We’ve always talked about what it would be like.”

Callum and Rayla exchanged looks, their unspoken message clear. Dreaming about seeing Xadia was one thing but actually going there, especially during these waring times, was a lot harder, almost impossible. Still, there was no denying the truth that seeing the mystical land of the faes was a dream they both shared for as long as they could remember. And for Rayla, that memory was six months old, yet felt like a lifetime.

“Someday, Ez,” Callum said, ruffling his little brother’s hair. “I promise.” Callum almost winced at his words. That wasn’t exactly a promise that he could easily keep, but for now, he would allow Ezran to believe it. Maybe when he got older he would understand why his brother said what he just did. Times were hard enough and a child’s innocent imagination was one of the few shining beacons of light they had to hold onto.

_ That and love _ , Callum thought to himself as he looked up at his girlfriend, the sun’s rays making her hair luminescent.

“Hey, guys!” Soren called out, “Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! Katolis is calling. Ding, ding.”

(~)

Once they reached the bottom the group rode off through the forest. Rayla and Claudia decided to make a race out of it; girls against boys. Though Ezran was smart and chose the girl’s team. He rode on Rayla’s horse and the four raced through the forest, bypassing the trees and rocks in their path.

After all the hassle of the day, Soren allowed himself to relax and enjoy the run, even coaxing Callum to pick up the pace.

“Come on, Prince! What kind of a man lets his girlfriend beat him?” Soren taunted.

“Jokes on you. I get more kisses that way.” Callum said with an uncharacteristically smug smile.

“Show off,” Soren grunted, wiping the reins for his horse to go faster.

“Come on, Chestnut!” at Callum’s command, the beautiful mare sprung onward to catch up with the blond knight.

Rayla and Claudia laughed, they could already taste the sweet nectar of victory as the forest path cleared, meaning they were closing in on the town towards the castle.

A sound invaded the forest. Soft and ethereal like an angelic choir, echoing through the forest and creating an icy chill like a ghost’s cold, dying breath.

Rayla drew her attention away from the race and to the sound. Her horse slowly stopped, sensing her rider’s grip loosening and believing it was her cue to slow down and eventually stop.

The sound echoed in all directions, making it near impossible to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. Ezran tried to get Rayla’s attention, but his voice went mute in her ears. The sounds of the birds, the clopping of the horse’s hooves crushing the grass and leaves that littered the ground. Everything else in the world fell dead silent. All she could hear was the sound.

“Rayla!” Ezran did the only thing he could think of to shape her out of her trance-like state: He had Bait stick his slimy tongue to her ear.

“ _ Erk! _ Ezran!”

“Sorry, but you wouldn’t snap out of it.”

“Ray, you okay?” Claudia asked. She was already ahead but she stopped and turned to check on her.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just… did you guys hear that sound?”

“What sound?” Claudia asked.

“The sound of us winning!” Soren shouted as he and Callum flew past.

“Hey! Cheaters!” Claudia shouted and wiped the reins for her horse to go.

Ezran jumped in his seat, “Come on, Rayla! They’re getting away!”

Rayla decided to shake the voice off of her mind and proceed with the race. It was probably a trick of the forest or a ringing in her ear.

As they ran off, a wine-red colored hawk hidden in the treetops observed the group as they passed by.

(~)

Soren bowed before the king, sitting on his throne. To his left stood Lord Viren.

“Your Majesty, you will be happy to know that the basilisk that’s been terrorizing the villagers has been taken care of.”

“Excellent,” Viren spoke, almost forgetting that the king was still present. “Do you have it with you?”

“Well, no,” Soren answered, keeping his voice leveled and professional, though his facial expressions failed to align with his tone.

“Did you at least retrieve something of the creature?” Viren asked in a slightly demanding fashion.

“Viren,” Harrow spoke. The mage went silent. “Go on, Soren.”

“We did capture the creature but we didn’t bring it with us. Or kill it.”

“We managed to find its flock using Claudia’s tracking spell,” Callum said, stepping forward.

It was still jarring, but also a welcome change that Prince Callum had grown more poised than he was years ago. With age came maturity, and bravery as well. Harrow beamed with pride while Viren fought to hide his annoyance. It was like watching a teenage uprising happening before his eyes and nobody was doing anything about it.

“So long as we don’t cross their mating grounds they won’t bother anyone.”

“Excellent work, kids,” Harrow said with a clap of his hands. “Thanks to you, Katolis will sleep peacefully tonight. And marvelous work on that spell, Claudia. I knew I could count on you and your brilliant expertise.”

Claudia blushed at the king’s compliment. Once word got out that Claudia was practicing old magic instead of dark magic this sparked the king’s curiosity. While she claimed she was still learning and developing new techniques, King Harrow more than allowed it and believed that this could serve as a potential lifesaver for the kingdom of Katolis in the near future.

Claudia wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t heard it with her own ears. Receiving such high praise from the king himself was an incredible honor. Now if only her father would be a little bit more open-minded.

Claudia kept her word and swore she would aid her father in whatever he instructed of her but that didn’t mean she was going to quit doing something she knew was right and was something she loved.

It wasn’t just about herself, she believed if she could find a way to further abolish this war then her father wouldn’t be so stressed out all the time. Maybe he could finally be at peace and be happy like he used to be. This war was draining him from the inside out. It needed to stop.

“Thank you, King Harrow.” Claudia bowed.

“I believe this calls for a celebration.” Harrow rose from his throne and clapped his hands once. The castle chef walked in pushing a cart of steaming hot jelly tarts for everyone. Harrow’s undoubted faith in these children knew no bounds.

“I could get used to this hero stuff.” Ezran licked his lips and started pigging out before anyone else could. Soren stuffed his face with jelly tarts to fill up his stomach before his shift later tonight. But Claudia wasn’t hungry. She was too distracted by her father who politely excused himself. Claudia followed her father out of the throne room.

“Dad, are you okay?” she asked, nerves squeezing the oxygen from her lungs as her father stood there with his back turned. She was almost certain she heard his breath once before turning around.

“Well done, Claudia. I mean it.”

“Really?” Claudia wanted to feel happy but she knew her father. There was something else behind his words.

“Yes,” Viren replied, approaching his daughter. “Though it would have been ideal if you brought the basilisk here instead of setting it free. I suppose you did get the job done and that’s what matters.”

“Well, I didn’t come back empty-handed.” Claudia chimed as she reached for her bag and pulled out one of the last two remaining vials of basilisk venom.

“You got its venom?” Viren said, eyes wide and the corners of his mouth slowly turned upwards, giving Claudia the confidence to allow her signature big-fat toothy grin to present itself.

“Yep. I got two.” Claudia pulled out the second to confirm this, “I was planning on using one for a spell while saving the other for an emergency. But, if you want it—“

Viren stared at the vial. It was a small dose, far too small to last him for every long. A live basilisk could produce an entire shelf of venom to last for months, but at this point, Viren couldn’t risk getting on his daughter’s poor graces again. He was already taking a big risk in allowing her to continue these practices, but she was still on his side nonetheless. He knew he would find a way to enlightened her again.

Viren accepted the vial. “Thank you, Claudia. I’m proud of you.” with that, Viren left, clenching the vial in his hands. Claudia released the breath she didn’t know she was holding the entire time and laughed in relief. Rayla walked out to check up on her.

“Everything okay?”

“He said he was proud of me,” Claudia said, her cheeks glowed a luminescent pink and she looked like she was about to burst with joy. Rayla humored her and squealed first, inviting Claudia to release all of the emotions she was holding inside. The two hugged and started jumping up and down. Rayla wasn’t a squealer, but she was more than happy to be one for a few minutes to make Claudia happy. After working so hard and wanting her father to understand, this one moment was more than she could ask for.

“Clauds, I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, Ray. I knew he’d come around one day.” her stomach began to rumble, “Huh, squealing really works up an appetite.” the two friends linked arms and re-entered the throne room.

“Bait! Quit eating my cut of the doe!” Claudia exclaimed, ready to wrestle the glow toad for her jelly tarts.

(~)

Just what Soren needed… rain.

As if taking the night patrol out in the woods wasn’t bad enough, it had to be raining. Soren swallowed his complaints and pushed himself onwards. Now was not the time to be complaining. This was his job and he had to see it through to the end. He could handle a mild annoyance.

His cloak was getting drenched, the rainwater seeping into his hair and down his facial features. He envied his friends for staying in their warm, comfy beds near a crawling fireplace. He could really go for some hot cocoa right about now. His mom used to make the best hot chocolate in Katolis. Claudia had replicated the recipe years ago and promised that when Soren came back she would have a steaming hot cup of cocoa waiting for him, along with a hot batch of chocolate chip nighttime pancakes.

He could feel his body warming up already as he strolled through the woods with his crossbow in hand, and his sword attached to the side of his belt. With the basilisk gone, there was one last problem to worry about, now he just needed to keep an eye out for wolves and the ever so creepy owls.

The young guard spun around and aimed his crossbow at the sound of something rustling in the trees behind him. It was too large to belong to a wolf or a deer.

“Who’s there?” Soren squinted his eyes. The shadows of the trees and bushes blended together. The longer he stared into the forest he began to make out vague shapes. Tall and slender, almost human.

“Declare yourself, in the name of King Harrow!”

Thunder roared, followed by a flash of lightning that illuminated the darkness of the trees. For two seconds Soren saw the shapes. They were human, with long cloaks wrapped around their shoulders. Some seemed to be made of fabrics, which others looked as though they were made entirely out of feathers.

The two seconds went by fast and Soren almost could have sworn he saw horns piercing out of their spiky heads before the shadows returned. In the darkness, their eyes glowed like embers in a fireplace.

Soren shot his arrow but it only managed to strike the side of a tree. Knowing he was outnumbered, he ran to retrieve backup. One of the cloaked figured leaped from its hiding spot and made chase. Soren heard the stranger leaping from the trees above him. He made the mistake of looking up, tripping and landing face-first in the mud. He spit out the nasty taste and kept running. He could hear the cloaked figure from behind him, moving as fast as the wind, faster than any human he had ever seen. Rayla immediately came to mind. He knew very few people who were that nimble.

Sensing they were closing in, Soren stopped and aimed his arrow. The figure disappeared. The young knight scanned the area, heart pounding in adrenaline. He felt something strike him in the stomach. Quick like a whip, but strong like a tree trunk, knocking the wind out of him. He coughed as he fell down a hill slope, landing in a pool of mud. Even in the darkness and pouring rain, Soren recognized this place.

This was where General Amaya first found Rayla, and where whoever was chasing him had finally caught onto him. The stranger got the jump on Soren. In their hands they held what appeared to be a staff of some kind but Soren didn’t have the time, nor the patience, to pay attention to the shape of the spear’s head. He aimed his arrow but the strange kicked it away. Soren then pulled out his sword only to have it yanked away by the stranger’s tail. Soren was pushed to the ground by a pair of powerful hands, hard like cinder blocks pressing the air out of him. Sharp claws like blades pierced through the hard metal of his armor.

Soren was pinned to the ground, mud seeping into his cloak and through every opening in his armor. The stranger’s cloak opened up, revealing that it wasn't a cloak.

They were wings. Large, feathered wings with claws at the arch where they bend. In the shadows, Soren could make out the silhouette. Spikes hair, curved horns, and a long whip-like tail moving from side to side like an agitated feline.

In the dark Soren could make out it's eyes: one eye gold and the other a bright cyan, glowing like fireflies as they stared him down. Soren prided himself a man who could swallow anything this job threw at him, but this was one of those rare times where he felt more afraid for his life than ever before.

He had no weapons, he was pinned down by an inhuman force, and the monster was staring at him with hunger in its eyes.

“What are you?” Soren managed to say, despite his trembling body.

Another flash of lightning came and went and Soren caught a clear look at her face.

She could almost pass for a human, except for her purplish-blue skin with tiny dark-colored scales and pale-colored symbols across her nose and forehead resembling an open diamond. Delicate lines ran across her cheekbones. Her messy short hair was black at the roots but transcended from a cyan green, to light to and finally white at the tips that framed opposite sides of her neck. On her head were placed two horns, bent with white tips.

Soren felt her grip on his armor loosen, not once did either of them look away. Soren was frozen in terror, wondering what was this creature going to do to him? Slowly, the creature released her hold on Soren and she stepped away. Soren waited for a few moments to see what this beast would do to him. He stared at her two-colored eyes and for a moment he thought he saw something almost human about her expression.

Was it surprise? Fear? Confusion?

Soren reached for his sword and pointed it at the creature, who hissed and growled, spreading its wings but didn’t do anything to attack. Seeing his chance, Soren ran as quickly as he could, clumsily climbing up the muddy hill slope until he reached the top and sprung towards Katolis.

The winged creature stood there in the pouring rain, unsure of what to do next.

(~)

Viren slammed his book closed when he heard his son’s cries and loud banging from outside the door.

“Dad! Dad! Wake up!”

Viren hurried to the door and his son ran inside. His clothes and armor were soaking wet, covered in mud and leaves which he trailed all over his nice clean floor. But what really caught Viren’s eye was the scratch marks on Soren’s armor, as though he had been mangled by a beast. Never had he seen his son this terrified.

“It jumped out at me! I didn’t know where it was! It had wings and claws and—“

“Soren, calm down!” Viren shook his son’s shoulders, his eyes were frozen wide and his face was as pale as a ghost’s. “Explain to me what happened?”

“I… I think… I think I saw a monster.”

“Be more specific, boy.”

“It looked human, only it wasn’t human. It had wings and-and-and claws and-and one eye was blue and another yellow and its skin was all scaly and it had feathers and—“

While Viren listened to his son’s attempt to describe what he saw, the mage spotted something sticking out from the side of Soren’s belt. Viren plucked the item and studied it in the light of his softly lit living quarters.

It was a feather. A red-wine colored feather with scales in its center. Now it as Viren’s turn to be frozen in fear.

(~)

“Lord Viren, King Harrow hasn’t risen yet.” Said one of the guards standing by the king’s bedroom door. Viren ignored the guard and forced himself inside. Now was not the time to be asking for permission to see the king. The guards dared not stop the High Mage.

Viren pulled back the curtains, letting in the morning sunlight. Pip, a new bird that King Harrow had recently acquired, a stray bird Callum found one day and brought back as a gift for his step-father, sung a happy tune.

Harrow begrudgingly lifted himself up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Viren, didn’t I warn you that if you ever woke me up this early again I’d have you executed?” Harrow said with what looked to be an attempt at a malicious smile.

Viren knew Harrow was not the executioner type, but given how things have been lately Viren didn’t want to risk getting on his bad graces. Just like with Claudia, he had to trail softly if he was to keep their trust and their belief in him.

It was for their own good.

Viren gave the king his privacy to prepare for the day. The mage waited for him by his balcony, near the bird feeder Harrow had placed for his new feathered companion, who was perched on his shoulder when the king walked out, breathing in the fresh morning air.

“So what’s so important that you come into my bedroom risking our life?” Harrow joked while stroking the feathers of Pip’s neck. The bird cooed with delight and happily munched on the breakfast his new master fed him from the palm of his hand.

“My son Soren came to me just before dawn. He saw something in the forest.”

This caught Harrow’s attention, and his lighthearted mood was dampened by a feeling of worry mixed with restless alert.

“What did he see?” Harrow asked. Viren showed him the feather he found. The king held it to the light, seeing the scales reflecting the sun’s rays. He recalled having read about these types of feathers.

“SkyWing.”

“Yes. I’m afraid the day we have feared has finally arrived.” Viren warned.

“And it was looking to be such a good morning.” Harrow signed as he stroked Pip’s green crown feathers. “What else did Soren see?”

“It’s strange, he described the creature was almost human.”

“Human?”

“I was confused as well, but I have a theory. I believe it could be possible that, over the years, the dragons have adopted a new form of protection. One only known to the most powerful of fae creatures: Shapeshifting. I didn’t believe it because there have been very few accounts of dragons possessing such power, but I fear they have finally gained a grasp on it.”

“Then it’s a good thing Soren escaped,” Harrow said with relief. “Is he alright?”

“He’ll be fine,” Viren replied quickly, “But right now we need to focus on the dangers ahead. The crown guard might not be enough to hold off these dragons.”

“I agree. Send for General Amaya and the standing battalion.”

“The breach is too far. They’ll never make it back in time. But even so, we’re not talking about any mere assassins, Harrow. These are dragons, dragons that can take on the form of anyone and anything. We need more than human arms to defeat them.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“I have brushed up on the ancient spells. Something that can stop the dragons in their tracks.”

Harrow closed his eyes, looking away from Viren. Of course, he would suggest this.

“Harrow, I know you don’t like it, but we have no other choice. People’s lives are at stake, your life, the life of your family. We must take every action to stop those monsters.”

“I agree.” Harrow sighed, “How long will this take?”

“Not very long, I promise. I just need a little time.” Viren realized the hypocrisy of his own words. Claudia said the exact same thing to him not very long ago. He knew he could find a way to stop those dragons, but all of his research up to this point has brought them to multiple dead ends. So many of his previous plans had to be scrapped due to the lack of information.

“I’m afraid we don’t have much time. We will attack the dragons directly.” Harrow hated himself for saying it, but his people and his family were at stake. It was moments like these where he had to swallow his guilt and do what needed to be done.

“We must find them today. In the light of the sun before it’s too late.”

(~)

“Callum? Caaalluuum… Hey!”

Callum jerked his head up from his sketchbook when he heard his girlfriend call his name.

“If you’re gonna blow me off at least let me know in advance,” Rayla said. She held a practice bow-staff in one hand.

“Sorry, I guess I got distracted.”

“You don’t say.” Rayla sat next to him on the bench. Beside the prince was his staff, the one Harrow gave him for his birthday. He told Rayla the day after he got it that it belonged to his birth father. Both were amazed to learn that he was also skilled with a spear just like Sarai was, but Callum has since been worried about using it in battle. Yes, it was made of a material that made it strong enough for battle, but its decorative and artistic aesthetic made Callum hesitant to actually wave it around and have it clang with another weapon.

Instead, Callum kept it as a memento of the person he never got a chance to meet.

Rayla looked over the sketch. It was a perfect replica of his father’s spear. “You want to talk about it?”

“What’s to talk about? It’s just the only item I have of my birth father. You know, the guy I know next to nothing about.”

“Doesn’t your Aunt know anything?” Rayla asked. Callum’s eyes went to the sketch and then to the small blades of grass around his feet.

“Actually, Aunt Amaya never really met him. See, he and my mom weren’t exactly… married by the time I was born.” Callum tried to hide his blushing face, red in humiliation, but there was not much he could hide from Rayla’s intuitive nature.

“Oh,” was all she said. She didn’t say anything against it, but she understood why Callum was hesitant to speak of it out loud.

“They lived together for a while but Amaya never actually saw him. She claims he left me and mom to fend for ourselves but Mom always told me that he loved us.”

“Callum, I’m so sorry.” Rayla reached for his trembling hand.

“I usually like to think maybe they had a forbidden romance going, you know. Her parents weren’t too fond of him and that’s why they kept it secret. All I know is that Mom never had one bad thing to say about him. And if he was really that bad then why would she want me to have this?”

Callum reached for his father’s staff, staring at his reflection on the circular deep blue jewel in the center. The surface gave the illusion that storm clouds brew within it, but Callum’s well trained artistic eye knew this was a mere design choice, which made it all the more mysterious and beautiful.

“I shouldn’t even feel this connected to it, but I do.”

“Yeah. I know how that feels.” Rayla reached for her star stone pendant, clenching it tightly in her hand. She knew better than anyone how awkward it felt to have something that belonged to someone close to you and not being able to remember that person’s face or even name.

“But he must have loved you if he left something like this for you.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I’m sure of it. You had to get your charms from somewhere.”

Callum laughed, “Thanks, Rayla.” he held her hand in his and the two leaned in forward for a kiss which, sadly, never came.

Opeli, one of King Harrow’s High Council, a tall slender woman with caramel hair and gray colored eyes wearing the traditional clothing of a High Council Cleric. A sleeveless white robe over a burgundy tunic with gold trimming and a hood over her head. Around her forehead was a half-closed silver circlet split broke apart right in the center of her forehead.

“Prince Callum, Lady Rayla, the king wishes to speak with you both urgently.”

“Oh come on! It was just one kiss.” Callum said. Rayla rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his arm. Opeli also rolled her eyes and gently shook her head. Personally, she wasn’t a big fan of these two teenagers having a romantic relationship while living under the same roof. That was a recipe for disaster. Luckily for her, Prince Callum was raised to be an absolute gentleman and Rayla was a woman who possessed good morals and respected the ways of Katolis far too much to do anything drastic.

It also helped that the two had a surprising high level of emotional maturity compared to most people their age. Probably far more than half of the adults she knew.

Rayla and Callum accompanied Opeli to the throne room, but even if they weren’t being called in for any public displays of affection then what were they being called in for? Opeli said it was urgent.

(~)

The couple met up with Ezran by the throne room door, accompanied by one of the castle guards. When the trio walked in they saw Harrow and a group of knights, along with the head of his council, and Lord Viren, circling a wooden three-dimensional map of the entire western side of the continent.

Immediately, Rayla’s curiosity had peeked. The knights and the head cleric stared at the children with an unreadable expression. Viren’s, unfortunately, was very plain. He wasn’t too thrilled about seeing Rayla, the King’s ward, present in the throne room.

Perhaps this was a habit Rayla would need to grow accustomed to. Easier said than done when the High Mage also just so happened to be the father of her only female best friend.

“Boys,” Harrow greeted them with a happy laugh, lifting Ezran up to his feet in a tight hug. He the ruffled Callum’s hair, which the prince brushed back into place, and Harrow stopped when he stood before the young girl.

“Rayla, looking more radiant with each passing day.”

Rayla blushed at the compliment. Harrow loved to shower his loved ones with compliments whenever he could. He was just that kind of man, the kind who took every opportunity to show others just how much he cared for them.

“Is everything okay?” Rayla asked, her eyes shifting to the map table. Harrow casually stepped to the side in an attempt to block it from her line of vision.

“Of course. I have a surprise for you three. Remember how we always talked about taking Rayla to the Banther Lodge this winter? Well, you’re going there today!” Harrow empathized with the last word with more enthusiasm and bravado in his voice to get them excited.

The three looked to one another, hoping the other had an explanation as to why Harrow would send them there this early. “But, it’s the middle of Summer.” Callum said, “That’s the winter lodge.”

“Well, after summer comes fall, so winter isn’t too far away.”

“Are we supposed to stay there until it snows?” Ezran said, holding up Bait in his arms. “What are we supposed to do until then? Everything fun there has to do with snow or ice.”

“Well, maybe you can invent new versions using dirt and rocks. You could build a dirt man. Or how about mud sledding? That could be a thing?” Harrow suggested in an excited voice, though he knew his pitch wasn’t really selling well with the kids. His green eyes brightened when he turned to Callum and Rayla. “Sure there’s no snow, but there’s plenty of spots for a picnic,” he suggested with a wink. “Watching the ducks on the lake, reading by the gazebo, picking wildflowers.”

“I do like flowers.” Rayla said, “And I’ll give the lake a chance just for the cute duckies.”

“That’s the spirit!”

“But why are we going now?” Callum asked. As fun as all of that sounded it was still odd that Harrow was sending them there right out of the blue like that.

“Look, this is something I need you to do,” Harrow said with his hand on Callum’s shoulder. Ezran spoke up but before he could complete his sentence Harrow cut him off. “It’s decided,” he said in a serious but still gentle voice.

He could have easily told them. Callum and Rayla were old enough, but if they didn’t know then Ezran wouldn’t suspect much. He was a very smart young lad for his age and Harrow didn’t doubt for a moment he would find a way to figure out what was really going on.

For now, he needed both Callum and Rayla to be calm and for all three of them to be safe.

“You’ll leave at sundown, so go get packed up.”

“Yes, Sir,” Callum said, cutting off Rayla just as she was about to speak. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, singling her to let it go for now.

“Why is Dad sending us away?” Ezran asked once they were on the other side of the throne room doors. “Something’s wrong.”

“Everything’s going to be fine. I’m sure of it,” Callum said, though every bone in his body was saying that may or may not be true. It was hard to tell. It wasn’t every day that his stepfather would gather his men around a map with tiny wooden figurines meant to represent a battalion of guards. It looked as though they were planing some kind of attack.

This did not go unnoticed by Rayla either. She could always tell when someone was either completely lying or not revealing the full truth. Harrow was clearly doing the latter.

“Come on, let’s go pack up.”

“You boys get started without me.” Rayla said, “I’m going to go find Claudia.”

If anyone could explain what was going on, it was her.

(~)

Claudia was pacing back and forth inside her father’s study, while Soren was eating away his problems with leftover chocolate chip pancakes and chunking down cold milk.

“This is crazy. Dragons? Here in Katolis? Are you sure that’s what you saw?”

“I don’t know if it was a dragon. It was dark but I saw a face, bird wings, horns, a tail, and its claws almost scratched out my insides!”

“This is impossible. How are dragons able to take other forms? This wasn’t in any of the books.”

“Maybe the dragons learned some new tricks,” Soren said before stuffing another huge mouthful of pancakes into his mouth.

“That’s what Dad said. Soren, what are we going to do? How are we going to tell Callum, Rayla, and Ezran?”

Soren choked on his food. He punched his chest with his fist until he could breathe again. “Are you crazy?! We can’t tell them any of this!”

“Soren, they’re our friends and it’s their father and kingdom at stake. They have the right to know.”

“And what happens if we do tell them? What are they supposed to do?” Soren dusted his hands on the side of his thighs and gripped his sister’s shoulders. “Look, King Harrow has already decided to send them to the Banther Lodge where they’ll be safe. They’re going to be fine.”

“We should at least say goodbye.” Claudia was already making her way to the doors. Soren blocked her path.

“No! We have to make them think that everything is okay.”

“But everything’s  _ not _ okay! Dragons are coming to attack us, to attack the king. Soren, I can’t let this happen! I just can’t!” Claudia closed her eyes shut hoping as if by some miracle, that her tears wouldn't spill. The idea of Callum and Ezran losing their father, of Rayla losing the one man who was ever like a father to her, it was too painful to even consider. She didn't want to consider it. She refused to.

Evie poked from behind Claudia’s hair and nuzzled her snakehead against her human friend’s cheek. Soren wiped her tears with his thumb. “Don’t worry, we’re going to fix this. Everything is going to be okay. No matter what happens, we’re in this together, just like we’ve always been.”

Claudia would have hugged him if not for their father walking in. Claudia cleaned her face and Soren dusted off his armor, clearing his throat to look more composed. Claudia put on her best stoic face, though traces of worry still lingers in her twitching eyebrows.

Evie kept herself hidden behind Claudia’s hair. No matter how long it’s been or how much she had grown, she was still terrified of Viren.

Evie was now as long and large as a field snake, able to spread her body across Claudia’s shoulders, with her now much larger butterfly wings tucked to her sides while she rested on her friend.

“I’ve spoken with King Harrow,” Viren said after he closed the doors behind him. “He says a direct attack is what’s best until I can come up with a solution to our problem. Soren, you will lead an attack on their secret camp. We suspect they were located not too far from where you ran into the SkyWing last night.”

“You want Soren to go back there?” Claudia said, her brother briefly froze before shaking it off. He was still scarred by the events of the previous night. He was so sure he was going to die in the hands of that creature, whether it was a dragon or not. And yet he could never forget that trace of humanity behind the creature’s gaze. Whether it was an illusion brought up by his own fears was yet to be confirmed. All Soren knew was that he would have to face it again, and he wasn’t sure if he had the strength to.

Assassins and criminals were one thing, but he never in a million years believed he would ever face a dragon. All those years of bragging about being able to slay one came back to bite him. These beasts were unlike anything Soren had ever seen. What if his fellow guards didn’t have what it took to fight them?

“But, Dad—“ Claudia was silenced by her father’s hand. She shrunk back, as though he were about to hit her. Evie hissed fearfully and curled even deeper behind Claudia’s shoulders.

“It’s been decided. We must attack first before they can attack us.”

“R-right,” Soren stuttered, “But how am I supposed to find this camp? And if these dragons can take on any shape how will I know it’s them?”

Viren walked towards a box where he kept the SkyWing feather. “Claudia will go with you and cast the tracking spell she used to find the basilisk flock,” Viren explained while giving his daughter the feather. His message was clear; use the feather to locate the other dragons. “When you find the SkyWing you will find the others. And when you do… kill them. Every last one.”

The three of them jumped when they heard a loud clang outside. Viren opened the door and saw one of the currently lit off metal candlestick. Aside from that, he saw no one else. Viren sneered at whoever was listening in on their conversation, though he had a good feeling on who it was. The smell of wildflowers lingered in the air.

From behind a wall, Rayla breathed heavily, her heart racing before making her way back to Callum.

(~)

The hawk with red-wine plumage swooped down from the sky into a berry covered bush. From the bush emerged the SkyWing dragon who attacked Soren the night before.

She dusted the leaves off of her clothes and sighed begrudgingly to herself as she neared her campsite. How was she going to explain to the boss lady that she didn't kill the human guard she saw last night? She could already picture her scowling face and icy cold fancy voice boasting about how she was right not to bring her along for the mission.

The SkyWing started plucking the berries from the bush. She couldn’t think on an empty stomach. Her messy eating got the berry juices all over her face and claws.

This gave her an idea.

(~)

In the books Callum had read, dragons were depicted as large and menacing beasts of legend. Beautiful and terrifying all at once. But these dragons, the ones that set up their secret base camp in the forest outside of Katolis, were more beautiful than menacing.

Rather than large, imposing reptiles these dragons were close to human-like. With human-like faces, small noses, full lips, hair, arms, and legs with bodies that could make even the purest of souls drenched in sin.

The women had bodies with curves that could hypnotize any man. Long legs, and hair that flowed like ocean waves in the wind. Their eyes were slender like those of a cat, and just as enticing.

As for the men, their torsos built as though carved from the gods themselves, calves that could cut diamonds and strong features that could render even the most headstrong woman rendered speechless and eyes that could light their souls ablaze.

What set them apart, however, were the scales that sprouted across their limbs and the corner of their faces. Their tails swung back and forth behind them when they moved, and horns of various shapes sprouted from both sides of their heads. Their ears were pointed, allowing them to ear anything from miles away. Lastly, their large bat-like wings (minus the SkyWings whose wings were bird-like) which gifting them the power of flight.

Just like the elemental primal sources of magic in the world, there were six types of dragons, each one corresponding with the six elements. Only those of the sky, fire, and earth were present. The SeaWing dragons were at a disadvantage when not near large bodies of water, and IceWings had little power during the Summer.

Two dragons of each element were present, one male and one female. Save for one, their leader.

Lady Siveth was a Celestial Dragon. One of the Tuatha De Danann. Her skin carried a pinkish hue with blue scales trailing across her forehead, the bridge of her nose, and her strong cheekbones. Beneath her eyes were two claw-shaped markings in a deep blue color. Her eyes were lilac, and her white hair was styled into a willow’s peak a move her forehead and the rest of her hair fell back against her, curled at the bottom with blueish hues. Her horns were long and curved, adorned with silver cuffs embedded with emeralds and sapphires. Around her forehead was a circlet shaped like a diamond. The membrane of her wings had pure white scales that sparkled like stars in the night sky, gifting her that ethereal presence that the Tuatha De Danann were most known for.

The male SkyWing dragon had gray skin with pale markings across his face, silvery hair, and dark brown wings. The two EarthWings were mates, both with peach-colored skin and slender eyes the color of copper, and emerald. scales with bright yellow claws. The male EarthWing had eyebrows so long they moved like whiskers underneath the ocean.

The two FireWings were clothed in gold and orange, they had a dark complexions with scarlet red scales and yellow horns. Their eyes were fiery red with the sclera being pitch black, setting them apart from the rest of the dragons.

Lady Siveth took the first watch while the others readied for their attack. Her pointed ears flickered and her brows narrowed when she saw the female SkyWing walk into camp. Her eyes landed on her claws, which were stained with red.

“Well done, Nyx. Perhaps I was wrong about you.”

The SkyWing, Nyx, froze when Siveth addressed her. For all of her bragging that the stuffy lady didn’t frighten her, whenever she opened her mouth Nyx felt compelled to obey. Curse the Tuatha De Danann natural leadership.

“Uh, yeah. Piece of cake.” Nyx said, wiggling her “blood” covered claws. Siveth tossed her a cloth for her to wipe her hands clean. Nyx kept the cloth close so she wouldn’t detect the smell.

(~)

Claudia gathered all of her ingredients from her room and reassured her distressed snake sprites friends she would return safely. Evie latched onto Claudia’s clothes, hissing pleadingly for her not to go, or to at least take them with her. Claudia had since familiarized herself with the snake sprites hissing language and could tell what they were trying to emulate.

“Evie, I need you guys to stay here. Keep an eye on Ray and Cal for me, okay.” Claudia kissed Evie on the head. She kissed each and every one of the snake sprites before leaving. “I’ll see you guys soon. I love you.”

When Claudia closed the door she took a moment to really take in what she just said. She had said the phrase many times before, but it was at this moment where she was about to go into the forest to hunt for dragons was when it really dawned on her.

These cute little winged reptiles were not only her friends but her babies. She loved each and every one of them, even now that they were fully grown and could go out into the world. Instead, they choose to stay with her. Claudia never imagined fae animals were capable of such unconditional love, and now she did. It made her wonder, could dragons or other faes be capable of this as well.

Over time, her perspective on dragons and faeries had changed. She still viewed them with caution like everyone else, but the more she learned about them the more she began to wonder if they were really so different from humans. They ate, they slept, they loved, they feared, they protected, and they died. Could it be that these dragons, much like themselves, believed that they were in the right? Was there really a battle between good and evil? Or was it a battle between two equally broken sides who had hurt one another?

Claudia pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind and focused on the task at hand. It may have sounded selfish and cowardly, but she really hoped they wouldn’t find any dragons. Claudia mounted her horse, ready to join her brother until two familiar voices called out.

“Wait!”

Claudia and Soren turned their heads to see Callum and Rayla, both wielding spears in their hands.

“Guys, what are you doing?” Claudia asked, dismounting her horse to approach them.

“I heard everything,” Rayla confessed.

Claudia froze, “You... you did?”

“We know what’s going on,” Callum said, tightening his grip on his spear. Claudia was impressed he was able to carry it so well. Soren was right, Callum had become more physically active recently. It was almost like a transformation, like a caterpillar sporting from its cocoon after becoming a butterfly.

“Guys, I know you have this thing for dragons but we don’t have time to talk about Xadian animal rights,” Soren said, turning his horse to the side to properly view the two.

“We’re not here to stop you.” Rayla said, “We’re here to help.”

“No!” Claudia exclaimed while blocking their path, “You guys can’t come.”

“I know we’re not knights, me especially,” Callum pointed to himself, “But Harrow is my father and Katolis is my kingdom, so I want to help. Besides, Rayla and I know more about dragons than anyone else.”

“Really? Did your textbooks tell you that these dragons can take on different shapes?” Soren said, turning his horse completely to face them directly. “And even if we do manage to find these things what exactly are you planning on doing? Sit down and have a little chat over tea and crumpets? Maybe talk about your feelings and kindly ask them not to devour everyone and everything in sight? Okay, let’s try that and see where it gets us. I’ve seen these things with my own eyes. There is nothing good or majestic or magical about them. It’s time for you two to get your heads out of your fairytales and join the real world. Dragons. Are.  _ Evil!  _ You may be the prince and king’s ward, but as crown guard, I’m telling you to stay in the castle and out of our way. Understand?”

Not even Claudia has ever heard her brother speak like this. Soren’s face was pale and his knuckles were shaking even as he rose his voice in anger to the point several other guards’ horses backed away without the command of their riders. Claudia saw through Soren’s frustration; he was scared and she couldn’t blame him. She was scared too, but it wasn't the dragons she was most afraid of, it was the safety of her friends.

Claudia turned to Rayla and Callum, who fell silent, stunned by Soren’s disciplinary performance. The mage took Rayla’s hands and smiled as reassuringly as she could. “I’m sure everything is going to be okay. We’ll be back before you know it.” Claudia wanted to say more, she wanted to say that the dragons probably fled or meant no harm, but she knew they would immediately pick up on her lies, Rayla especially.

“I know you guys want to help, but your safety is too important. I'm sorry. You understand, don’t you?”

Callum and Rayla shared a look. They loosened their hold on their spears, not making eye contact with Soren who felt awful for blowing up the way he did. He couldn’t understand why Callum was so upset, the one who recited the Old Code every chance he got, and Rayla who reminded him that his duty was to protect everyone in the royal family, Callum included.

A knight is sworn to valor. His might defends the helpless. His wrath undoes the wicked.

Soren was a knight of Katolis, the kingdom’s safety, and the safety of the royal family came first. “Let’s go, Claudia.”

Claudia was about to say goodbye but both her friends dropped their spears and hugged her. “Be careful out there,” Callum whispered in her right ear, while Rayla said to her left. “Come back in one piece.”

Claudia hugged them back, fighting the tears as hard as she could.She kept her eyes closed until she turned around and mounted her horse. She didn’t look back as she and her brother and the rest of the knights rode off into the forest.

(~)

Rayla angrily stomped her feet when she and Callum entered her room. “This stinks! They really expect us to just sit here and do nothing while they risk their lives out there?”

“Rayla, I know you’re upset but try to understand.”

“Oh, I understand. I understand that Harrow didn’t trust us to know the truth.” the voice in Rayla’s voice was impossible to ignore.

“I don’t think it’s because he doesn’t trust us. I think it’s because....”

“Because of what?”

“Because of Ezran,” Callum said. Rayla was silent. “I think, as long as he sees that we’re okay he’ll think everything else is.”

“But what if he finds out either way?” Rayla said, her voice cracking, “Callum, I...” she choked on her sobs. She sat on top of the book chest at the foot of her bed and began to cry. Callum scooted beside her, wrapping his arm around her trembling shoulders.

“It’s not fair. I finally have a family and now I’m about to lose it all again.”

“You’re not going to lose us.” Callum tried to reassure her, but Rayla got up, almost pushing him to the floor in her hurry.

“I know why they’re coming.” Rayla said, “They want revenge for what happened to the dragon king. They’re coming for him and he knows it. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Soren was right.”

Callum was too depressed as her to even joke about the fact that Rayla just said, without a hint of irony, that Soren was right about something. He knew what she was referring to. That no amount of book knowledge of the ancient ways was going to help them. Callum felt like a failure, thinking all that time they spent reading and researching about dragons and faeries was wasted. Now they were about to be attacked by the very beings they both feared and admired.

It was so confusing to both hate and admire something to the point that it could drive anyone mad. But Callum chose not to focus on his hatred, or on his frustration. Instead, he directed all of that focus on the girl standing before him. The girl who changed his life in such a short time. The girl he loved so much that he would jump off the tallest spire in the world to save her without a second thought, and he knew she would do the same. They were both so stupidly stubborn, but they were always there for each other. That wasn’t about to change.

“Rayla, I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I’m just as scared as you are. But I promise, no matter what happens, I will never leave you. We’ll get through this together.”

Rayla cried into his shoulder. She didn’t say anything else aside from a soft, “I love you,” and melted into the warmth and security of his arms. A knock on the door forced them to break apart. Rayla wiped her tears with her palm and Ezran poked his head through the door.

“Hey Rayla, I wanted to ask if you had any books I could borrow for the trip? You keep hogging all of the goods ones from the library.” Ezran teased as he walked in, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere that circled around the couple like a spiraling mist.

“Yeah, knock yourself out.” Rayla gestured to her chest so Ezran could skin through her books, which were all stacked neatly one on top of the other. Bait snuck into the chest, glowing brightly.

“Bait, we’re not playing hide and seek right now, and you’re terrible at it. You know you’re not supposed to glow when you’re hiding.”

While Ezran schooled Bait about the rules of hide-and-seek, Callum and Rayla watched fondly at the young prince’s innocence, like parents watching their child playing with his pet without a care in the world. It was enough to make Rayla tear up again.

“Rayla, are you okay?” Ezran asked when he saw her crying.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Rayla kneeled down and hugged the prince tight. “I love you so much.” Callum joined in the embrace, while Ezran awkwardly hugged them back.

“Uh... I love you too.” he said through squished lips.

(~)

Soren and Claudia were silent throughout the whole trip. Neither said a word until they were several miles deep into the forest. Finally, after having tolerated the aggravating silence long enough, Claudia spoke.

“You shouldn’t have yelled at them like that.”

“I only said what they needed to hear. Besides, we both know that is the step-prince tagged along he’d be a dragon’s toothpick in two seconds.”

“Callum is a lot tougher than he looks, and at least he and Rayla wanted to help.”

“Claudia, I know you love them but it’s going to take a lot more than book smarts to stop these dragons. Maybe Dad was right and you should get your head on straight.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Ever since Rayla showed up you’ve been wasting your time hugging trees and playing with flowers and now that there’s an actual threat you’ve got nothing.”

Claudia was silent. Was Soren right? Jarring realization of what she just said aside, what if her father was right and she really had been wasting her time? Was she so excited about having a new friend and reconnecting with Callum again that she had completely lost her way? Could what her father had told her to be true and her methods of the old magic really were meant to be a distraction to strike humans when they are at their weakest. She knew a number of spells, but none that were strong enough to stop a dragon, much less an entire army of them.

Claudia wanted to curl up into a ball and forget the world right now. She had failed. She failed her father, she failed her kingdom... she failed everyone, and now she was going to fail her friends for dragging them down with her.

Soren hated himself for snapping at her like that. In truth, he wasn’t sure what he believed inanymore. No matter how hard he tried he could never forget the look in that dragon woman’s eyes. He decided to dismiss it as a trick of the lighting flashes playing with his vision. If telling Callum and Rayla that dragons were evil would keep them safe, then so be it.

The last thing he wanted was to crush his little sister’s dreams, but they didn’t have time for dreams right now. When the search party stopped Soren nudged Claudia’s arm to get her attention. “The spell.”

“Oh. Right.” Claudia repeated her tracking spell: the spell that was performed by the old magic that worked flawlessly before.  Okay, old magic , she thought.  One more chance . She tossed the feather into the fire and the firefly pathway formed a twisting path through the forest. The group mounted their horses and rode off to the end of the magical path.

(~)

Back at the dragon’s camp, Siveth heard a ringing in the air. It wasn’t a bird’s song, or the whispering of the winds through the leaves, not the echoing remains of a trickling stream—good, Siveth was never a fan of water—no, this noise was strange. It didn’t sound unnatural, but it didn’t belong to any known animal.

A trail of golden specks began raining down like flakes of snow. To the dragons, the specks smelled of mushrooms and lime-leaves from the deepest caves. But there was another scent mixed in. A familiar scent, one that made Siveth’s nose wrinkle in disgust. It was by no means an unpleasant smell, but it was one that reminded her of someone that twisted her tail in annoyance.

Nyx. It smelled of Nyx. These specks weren’t normal, they were created by magic. Not dark magic, no this magic was natural, more ancient. Nevertheless, it spelled trouble.

“They know we’re here.”

They heard the sound of horses trotting, looming in like a tsunami rising to reach the shoreline. With each breath, the sounds grew louder and louder. The dragons dispersed, Nyx looked around aimlessly. She knew why they were here, and now the dragons had figured it out as well.

When the search party arrived at the end of the trail they saw nothing but trees and grass. The trail of specks trickled down on the area, but there was no sign of life anywhere. Soren pulled out his sword.

“Keep your eyes sharp, men. These dragons can take on any shape.”

Claudia remained on her horse and reached for her hydra whip, ready to unleash it at the dragons that dare come close.  The guards searched the perimeter but couldn’t find any trace that the dragons were here, not even footprints. Soren heard a few bird tweeting above his head, he saw a couple of geckos and two bunny rabbits. Soren aimed his sword at the creatures but they scurried away. If they were dragons they would have attacked, right?

Soren dropped his sword to his side. “Nothing! I thought that spell was supposed to work!”

“It did!” I don’t understand what went wrong.” Claudia dismounted her horse to search for herself. She found nothing. It was as if the dragons were never there.

“I don’t understand”

“I do. Your magic failed.” Soren said, glaring at his sister.

“No, Soren, there’s got to be—“

“Dad was right. This magic is a waste of time and now, because of you, Katolis is on the brink of an all-out dragon invasion! Thanks a lot.” Soren mounted his horse and whipped the reins, signaling his men to move out.

Claudia stood in the center of the clearing, paralyzed with guilt. A golden flake landed on her palm and she threw it away, angrily swatting the specks away as though they were flies. Her father was right. She had wasted her time.

Her magic failed.

_ She _ failed.

Once Claudia joined her brother and the others, the birds, geckos and bunny rabbits gathered together. Magic seeped through them and in seconds they transformed back into the dragons. The geckos became the FireWings, the birds into Nyx and her SkyWing male companion, and the rabbits became the EarthWings. A white butterfly with blue patterns fluttered out from the flowers and transformed into the Lady Siveth who sneered at the multicolor-eyed SkyWing.

“You lying little birdbrain! You let him go!”

All of the other dragons, including the male SkyWing, hissed and snarled at Nyx, who backed up against a tree. “Okay, I know this looks bad but—“

“Bad?” Siveth would have laughed is she wasn’t already fuming mad. Her pupils became slits as she towered over Nyx. “You had one job and now, because of you cowardice, they know we’re here!”

“It was just one scrawny human. Besides, what’re a few knights compared to seven dragons?” Nyx squeaked in fear when Siveth held her claws inches from Nyx’s neck,, poking right beneath the SkyWing’s chin, daring her to move even an inch or else she would be gifted with a permanent scar.

“You arrogant fool. Do you realize what you’ve done? You’ve failed us. Failed your Queen. Failed Xadia.”

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you’re all wondering “Who the heck is Siveth?” Siveth is actually based off of an OC I was planning on using during the early versions of this story. I didn’t have the heart to drop her entirely and I do have plans for her in future chapters. 
> 
> She went through several name changes until I choose to go with Siveth, the name of the female dragon from DragonHeart: Vengeance, but instead, she is voiced by Katie McGarth who played Morgana in the BBC series “Merlin”. She’s an Irish actress, so image her with her natural accent.
> 
> And dragons being able to shape-shift into animals, also from Vengeance.
> 
> This chapter was such a wild ride, everything fell into place and it made me excited to start working on the next one. 
> 
> Until next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	13. Chapter 13

Viren was never one to admit defeat, especially to himself. Over the years, rumors spread around the castle that all Viren ever did in his spare time was lurk in the shadows or drink the blood of faeries to keep his magic up. Viren scoffed at the accusations. Such simple-minded fools.

What they called “being creepy” Viren called being pragmatic. The mage spent his time researching every book and ancient scroll in his private library until he finally came across a spell that could possibly be their salvation.

It was a very old and tricky spell to prepare, but when done right it proved to be extremely powerful. The spell required the full bodies, bones, internal organs, skin, even eyeballs, everything from a creature of the five primal elements. Luckily for Viren, he had such items stored in a top-secret collection he kept hidden away from prying eyes, including his curious daughter.

He had the petrified corpse of a fire-lizard, the frozen embryo of a harpy, the corpse of an ice-pixie, and an infant mermaid, curled up inside a jar as though it were still inside its mother’s belly. Getting these ingredients during his last, and what would be at the time, his final pilgrimage to Xadia when his children were still very young. Since then, nobody dared cross the border again, and Viren obeyed such laws. It’s why he used those items in moderation, to keep them going long enough. His practicality had paid off.

The final missing ingredient was Earth. Unfortunately, none of his chimera claws or peryton skulls would suffice. He needed something while it didn’t matter if it was alive or not.

He looked over his shoulder to an old wooden chest in the far back. He was tempted to use it, he could feel the heat of the magical energy radiating on his skin, but Viren restrained his urges. Something like this was extremely powerful, too powerful to use for just any spell. If Viren tampered with it right now it could blow the castle sky high. Not to mention, it would make him a target of the dragons if they ever knew he was in possession of it. No, he would keep it secret until then. A find such as this needed to be used wisely. It’s time would come, but not just yet.

He needed to find a source for earth magic. Only one option came to mind, but when it did a nauseating feeling of guilt bubbled up inside him like bad indigestion.

He shouldn’t. He couldn’t. She would never forgive him.

As he stared at the half-finished spell he could practically hear the wingbeats of the dragons looming overhead, ready to crush everyone and everything in their path.

Viren swallowed his hesitation and stormed out of his secret lab underneath the castle.

Once the king and everyone else was spared by his necessary sacrifice, only then would she understand.

(~)

Evie and her siblings dusted off Claudia’s bookshelves and nourished her flowers. They brought in fruits and nuts from the forest to present to her once she returned from her trip. When they heard the doorknob turning they all quickly hid away, excited to surprise their beloved mage.

The snake sprites hissed in fear when they saw not Claudia, but Viren walks into the room. Claudia’s father searched the place, his foot kicked a bottle of blue mixture on the floor. He picked it up and spun the liquid inside, creating a tiny whirlpool. The potion solidified into shards of crystals inside the bottle, much to Viren’s surprise.

“Impressive.” He whispered to himself.

Curiosity got the better of him and he started rummaging through Claudia’s notes and papers, organized in the most unorthodox way that only someone as… distinctive as Claudia could understand and remember. He recognized that sloppy cursive writing anywhere. The pages were filled with scribbled notes and half-well made drawings, many of which Viren recognized as Prince Callum’s work. A smile tugged on the corner of his mouth. Those two used to be thick as thieves when they were young, along with Soren.

He couldn’t remember when or how his thoughts of his daughter’s childhood friends suddenly transcended to memories of his friendship with King Harrow. He was more than a king to Viren, he was his brother, his best friend, but as time went on that friendship became strained. Viren refused to believe it was due to his unyielding faith in dark magic, not even Harrow was that shallow. No, it had to be something else. Their viewpoints have shifted as time went on. Harrow felt regret and sorrow for the actions of his past, which Viren could not comprehend.

They avenged someone important to them both, how could that be wrong? That monster got what he deserved. But now, Harrow felt sympathy for the beast. Sympathy for a  _dragon_ of all things. He could somewhat understand sympathy over a tiny pixie, or perhaps a unicorn, but a dragon? The beast that was death incarnate?   


Viren shook his head. Queen Sarai, while well-meaning, had made Harrow too soft. And now, the same was happening to his children. The step-prince and his new lady-love were corrupting his daughter, making her weak.

As impressive as these spells were, they would not save Katolis. He needed to find what he came here for.

While Viren searched in vain, Evie hissed aggressively from her hiding spot. How dare Viren disrupt Claudia’s hard work like that? Just because he didn’t like it didn’t mean he had to be so rude. Her eldest brother, Branch, pulled her back with his tail, hissing at her to be still. They couldn’t escape through the window, Viren would spot them for sure.

Viren read the notes of one of Claudia’s earliest ‘new’ spells. He found himself intrigued by the information until he noticed something bright and colorful from the reflection of one of the currently empty jars on the table. A colorful wing peeking out from behind a bookshelf.

The amethyst center of his staff started to glow and a dark smoke flew out, spiraling Viren’s body. His eyes became black as ink and spoke a chilling incantation. A command spoken backward.

The snake sprites curled up in their hiding spots as deep as they could. A terrifying chill entered the room, as though it were being frozen solid. The puff of smoke flew in all directions like a WaterWing dragon swimming in mid-air. The snake sprites could sense its presence, the darkness closing in all around them.

It knew where they were.

The snake sprites flew out of their hiding spots. Following Branch, they hurried towards the window, but just as expected Viren closed it shut. One by one, the smoke plucked the snake sprites from the air, trapping them its black mist. The smoke closed in on Branch and Evie. At the last moment, Branch pushed Evie out of the way with his body, his little sister went flying at the speed of an arrow into Claudia’s jewelry box which sealed shut as it fell underneath her bed. Evie peeked from the tiny keyhole as she watched her big brother be snatched up by the smoke. Using one of Claudia’s earnings, Evie secured the box even tighter. The cloud couldn’t sense the last snake sprite because she covered herself in the metal and platinum accessories to mask her scent. Evie shivered until the cloud was gone.

Viren’s eyes returned to normal and he held the struggling snake sprites in his hand, now trapped inside a black spear, all crushed together, wiggling uncomfortably like worms in a bucket.

“I’m sorry. Your sacrifice will not go in vain.” Viren meant those words. He knew these creatures meant a lot to Claudia, but in moments like these one would have to sacrifice everything... including the things we loved.

He had to make the smart choice, not the agreeable one.

Viren left the room, not bothering to count how many snake sprites there were, seeing as there were enough for the spell. After a few seconds, Evie unlocked herself from the jewelry box. She flew around, hoping to find at least one of her siblings. The only thing she found was a tiny tear of Branch’s wing on the floor.

Evie curled around the tethered wing piece. The cold chill was gone, but it brought no warmth to the broken-hearted snake.

(~)

The castle of Katolis glistened in the sunlight like the purest gold. If the circumstances were different, Lady Siveth would actually find the place rather pleasant to look at from afar. But right now, it’s beauty only intensified her thirst for vengeance.

“They’ll be on the lookout for us now.”

“My lady, are you sure six of us will be enough?” the male SkyWing asked.

“Nyx may be a pain but she was right about one thing. We will be stronger even with only six.”

Beneath the tree from which they were scouting, Siveth and the male SkyWing jumped down, wings spread out giving them the graceful appearance of angels descending from the heavens above as they landed.

Back at camp, Nyx was getting the silent treatment from the rest of the dragons, who were sharpening their claws. When Siveth arrived the dragons bowed in respect. Nyx bowed last, not that it would help. She looked up to see the celestial dragon staring down at her with a stoic expression. She was taller than Nyx by a few feet, and though they shared a similar body type, for some reason, Lady Siveth made the impossibly-gorgeous look work better for her than it ever could for any other female dragon.

Curse the Tuatha De Danann natural allure.

“Come with me,” said Siveth. Nyx didn’t say a word but followed. She knew what was coming.

(~)

Rayla finished packing the last of her things. She felt more and more agitated with each shirt she folded and every book she stacked into her bag. She tried telling herself that maybe things will work out okay. Maybe Soren just accidentally wandered into the dragons’ hunting ground and they never meant any harm to Katolis.

Even Rayla knew that was a load of baloney. But this also brought up a very good question: Why did the dragons choose not to enact their revenge for what happened to their king?

One plausible explanation was that they were probably buying their time to prepare a full-proof attack. The thought of it made Rayla’s stomach churn. For the first time since she could remember, she felt a seeping hatred towards the dragons.

This must have been how Callum felt after his mother passed away. Yet months of research and learning of their history painted such a sympathetic picture as well. She thought humans were complex, but as it turns out dragons could be just as complicated too.

Which only made this whole war all the more tragic. The two sides were attacking one another for the same crimes committed to the other. How could Rayla hate them now when they were hurting just as much everyone else?

And just like that, she went from hating dragons to sympathizing with them in the amount of time it took to blink twice.

Rayla walked out to the balcony to get some fresh air where she spotted Soren’s group approaching the castle. Rayla rushed out of her room and ran down the hallway, bypassing a few maids on her way. She slid to a halt in front of Callum’s door and knocked.

“Callum! Soren and Claudia are back!” she shouted before dashing off. She heard the door open and Callum rushed out to join her. The search party reached the gates of Katolis and Rayla and Callum ran outside to meet their friends.

“You’re back!” Rayla shouted happily.

“You’re okay!” Callum added.

Claudia dismounted her horse and hugged her friends. They hadn’t left yet, not until sundown, so she could get in a few more goodbyes before then.

“Did you find the dragons?” Callum asked.

Soren replied before Claudia could. “No. Her tracking spell didn’t work.”

“What do you mean it didn’t work?” Rayla asked, confused. How could the tracking spell not work? It worked before with the basilisk.

“I... I don’t know.” was all Claudia could say. They two of them were already dealing with enough as it was, she didn’t want to add salt to the wound by admitting her magic failed when they needed it most. Soren was right, she had to put on a brave face, if only for their sake.

Rayla didn’t push her to speak and instead offered her full support. “At least you’re in one piece,”

Soren dismounted his horse and Callum walked up to him. “Are you okay?” Callum asked. He had never seen the knight so silent before. Or so serious.

“Fine,” Soren replied with a grunt. “Excuse me, your highness. I need to go speak with my father.” Soren walked past Callum, his shoulder brushing up against the prince. He didn’t bother to address Claudia, not wanting her to get into trouble with their father. Soren would rather take the heat than watch his sister shrink in fear at Viren’s anger.

Not that it mattered because Claudia didn’t want her brother to take the full blame either. “I should go too.” Claudia said, sadly distancing herself from her friends, “I’ll see you guys later.”

“We leave at sundown.” Rayla reminded her.

“I know. I’ll see you before then, I promise.”

(~)

“So, I take it this isn’t a promotion thing?” Nyx joked, but the tense air between her and Lady Siveth strangled the lightheartedness out of the moment.

“Nyx, you understand why I brought you on this mission.”

“It’s because I’m charming, right? Despite it all, you can’t help but like me?” Nyx pursed her lips to the side and raised and lowered her eyebrows in a cheeky manner.

“No, that’s not it. I do not like you at all.” Siveth said bluntly, making Nyx hide in her own wings. Siveth sighed, “The Tuatha De Dannan pride ourselves as loyal and faithful to our country. When you, of all dragons, willingly volunteered to join this mission I thought you finally understood what that meant.” Nyx hung her head as Siveth continued, “You are no warrior, but you are clever. But when the moment came you hesitated.”

“I get it, I messed up one time, but let me make it up to you. I can do the job,”

“No,” Siveth said, wings opening up slighting to give the imposing allusion of increased height. “You’re not a killer, Nyx. You’re a thief, a con artist.”

“ _Former_ con artist, you mean.”

“You were spared a lifetime in the dungeons once out of pity, but now I have half a mind to end you where you stand.”

Nyx squeaked and transformed into a tiny bird with wine-colored feathers just like her wings. “You wouldn’t squash a tiny little bird, would you?”

Siveth growled in annoyance. “This is exactly what I mean. You’re a coward, you always have been and you always will be.”

At her words, Nyx returned to her normal form, her pointed ears lowered with shame.

“After what she did for you, you dishonor her memory. But if I ended you right now I would be dishonoring her as well.”

“So, what are you going to do to me?”

“Leave. Return to Xadia, or don’t. I don’t care what you do or where you go,” Siveth grabbed Nyx’s chin, claws piercing the side of her cheeks, “But stay out of our way and out of my sight. Consider this an act of mercy.” with that Siveth stormed off, leaving Nyx alone in the woods.

“Fine. That’s fine. Good luck with your assassination. I’ll send you a congratulatory gift basket.” Nyx huffed and kicked a random peddle. “I never wanted to get human blood on my hands anyway. So sticky and reeks of cooper.” Nyx shuddered, her feathers ruffling, “Besides, why storm a castle when I can go to the beach? Maybe get a nice sun-kissed glow on my feathers. Just me. Alone… Lone Ranger Nyx rides again...”

Nyx’s wings dropped behind her. As annoying as Siveth was, she was right about one thing. Nyx was a coward. She couldn’t even cut that human’s throat. Why couldn’t she? He was a pathetic, scared little human.

Then again, Nyx knew all about being scared. She hadn’t told Siveth but, when she looked into the human’s eyes, for a moment, she saw her own fears reflected in his deep blue orbs. For once, she felt pity for such a powerless creature... so she spared him just as she had been spared long ago.

That was the only reason Nyx even choose to come on this mission. To repay her debt to the one person who ever took a chance on her when nobody else did.

As she strolled down the opposite direction of the camp, Nyx stopped to look up at the castle. She tried to shake off the guilt but it latched onto her like an elbow leach. She sighed.

“Fine. I’ve got nothing left to lose.” With her mind made up, Nyx shifted into her bird form and flew towards the castle.

(~)

“I’m sorry, Father.” Soren hung his head, ready to accept his father’s harsh words of how he and Claudia failed. To both of their relief, Viren didn’t react angrily.

“It’s alright, children. We will just have to wait for the dragons to come to us.”

“But, how are we supposed to fight off a bunch of dragons that can shape-shift?” Claudia asked.

“Don’t worry. While you were away I found the solution to our problems. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with King Harrow.” Viren walked past his children.

“What can we do to help?” Claudia asked.

“For now, rally up the troops until I return.” That was all he said before leaving.

“That went better than I thought,” Soren said, rolling off the tension from his shoulders. 

“What do you think he meant by creative solution?” Claudia asked.

Soren shrugged. “I say we do what he says and ask questions later. I’m sure dad knows what he’s doing.”

“Yeah... of course.” Claudia sounded about as confident as her brother looked. Which wasn’t much. “I’m gonna go find Evie and the others.”

(~)

Evie was a stubborn little snake sprite, and plucky too. Probably the pluckiest of all her siblings. She hissed in sadness at the memory of them.

No, she refused to let them die like this. After weeping for a few moments, Evie snatched the piece of her brother’s wing, holding it tightly with the end of her tail. She fluttered out an open window just as a maid was about to dust off a rug. The maid screamed for a moment when Evie flew by in search for Viren’s room. Once she found it she hovered in front of the main window, but it was already too late. She heard the mage’s chilling incantations and with her fork tongue she could smell her brothers and sisters being crushed into dust, their magic being infused into his very soul and once the evil purple glow diminished she witnessed the mage’s face turn purple with dark veins sprouting across his face, eyes the color of soot.

Evie hid under the window before he could spot her. She heard him speak something to himself and carefully poked her head to see Viren’s face revert back to normal. Not that it made him look any less horrifying.

She couldn’t make out what it was he held in his hands but before she could see Viren gathered his items and walked out of his room, but once he was gone Evie spotted something on his desk.

She unhinged the window and flew in, looking over the pages of the dark spellbook. Obviously, Evie couldn’t read, with her being an animal and all, but she was familiar with pictures and what she saw horrified her. She hissed and bit off the pages, rolling them tightly and quickly stuffing them into an empty velvet pouch laying on the floor. She also stuffed Branch’s severed wing inside.

She had the evidence, now she just needed to find Claudia.

(~)

Harrow looked out his window, the sealed up letter secured in his hand. He went through the conversation in his head over a thousand times, but no matter how many times he rehearsed it never sounded right. He would just have to speak the truth, speak from his heart, and pray that they would understand.

Viren entered his chambers. Harrow didn’t complain this time or make a wry quip. All jokes had been snuffed out of him.

“My King, we have not been able to find the dragons, but Soren and the others have returned to bolster your defenses.”

“It won’t be enough,” Harrow replied, eyes still on the view out his window. His old on the letter tightened. “I have accepted that tonight I may pay the price for our mistakes.”

“Harrow, don’t give up just yet. You’ll be happy to know that I have found a... creative solution.” The corners of Viren’s mouth began to turn upwards. Harrow wanted to scoff but withheld the reaction.

“Call it what it is...” Harrow finally turned to face the mage, “Dark magic.” He said with disdain.

Viren pulled back, seemingly offended. “Yes.”

“I have spent years going along with these “creative solutions” of yours and where has it gotten us?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t.”

“Harrow, please. At least give me a chance to explain.”

“Not now, Viren. I need a few moments of peace.”

Viren didn’t protest. He accepted the king’s desire for solace and left. He would wait for a few moments and then reveal what he had planned. For now, he would wait and finalize the spell.

“Evie!”

Claudia’s voice sent a nervous shock through Viren’s body. He inspected his clothes for any remains and dusted himself as quickly as he could.

“Branch! Poppy, Ivy, Opal, Cherry, Aspen. Where’d you guys go?” Claudia spotted Viren just as he was about to make a hasty exit. “Dad, have you seen—“

“No, Claudia. I haven’t seen your snake sprite friends anywhere, I’ve been very busy.”

“They’re not in my room, and I know they were there, the place is spotless. It’s not like them to just disappear.”

“They are wild animals, after all. They’re probably chasing rats in the kitchen or hunting down spiders.”

“Oh, that’s a great idea! The kitchen is crawling with rats and spiders, and it’s close to their feeding time. Thanks, Dad.” Claudia sprung off, and Viren rolled his eyes.

(~)

Callum finally finished packing, the only item that remained unchecked was his father’s staff. How he was going to pack it he wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to scratch the material or the stone center. He held the item in his hand, staring intensely the stone ornament. Callum traced his fingers over the subtle cloud-like surface, the stone felt naturally warm, like a fire being lit underneath his palm.

Callum almost dropped his staff and held onto it for dear life when he heard a knock at the door.

“Callum, can I come in?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Rayla poked her head from behind the door. “Sorry, was I interrupting something?” She chuckled, nodding her head to the staff Callum was still holding like he was caught stealing it from somewhere. Callum blushed and laid the staff on the side of his bed.

“Have you finished packing yet?”

“Yeah, I just wanted to know if you and Ez were finished too.” Rayla’s eyes landed on the staff. Callum followed her gaze.

“No idea how I’m supposed to pack something that long.”

“Then just carry it.” Rayla suggested, “It’ll make you look more intimidating if you’re carrying a staff around.”

Callum chuckled, “You think?”

“Absolutely.” Rayla handed his back the staff and Callum struck a heroic pose. Rayla laughed at his silliness, “There, you see. If I were a dragon I’d be flying off with my tail between my legs.”

“Or I could make them laugh to death when I trip and land on my face.” Callum joked. The two laughed. It felt good to laugh amongst all of this uncertainty looming over them. “Hey Ez, are you done packing?” Callum said, knocking on his brother’s door.

“Ez?” Callum knocked again. No reply. “Ez, what are you doing in—“ Callum pushed the door open and he and Rayla gasped to find that not only were Ezran’s things still not packed, but the prince was nowhere to be found.

“Oh, no.” Rayla gasped and rushed into Ezran’s room, bumping into Callum who was too stunned to move at first. They searched the bed, the closet, the desk, but found no trace of Ezran.

“Where could he have gone?”

“Okay, let’s not panic,” said Callum. “We know every inch of this castle, we just have to think about where he...” The two came to the same conclusion; “The tunnels!”

The two rushed out the door only to stop at the sight of a man in armor. “Ah! Guard!” Callum screamed, his hand flew to his mouth.

“Prince Callum, King Harrow requests you and Lady Rayla meet him in the throne room.”

“Thank you, we’ll be there,” Rayla answered for the both of them. The guard bowed and went on his way. “We’ll have to find Ez later.”

(~)

Just as the guard had told them, Harrow was waiting for them in the throne room. Rayla had been spoiled with the notion of seeing the king by his throne, looking as regal and empowering as any king would, and yet he would completely subvert everyone’s expectations by laughing and cracking up a really bad Dad-joke.

Not today.

Today, Harrow looked every bit the king he was. Rayla remembered the first time she saw him. She was so nervous she could hardly breathe, terrified of saying the wrong words in front of him. Months of bonding and laughing had changed that. He was every bit a father to her as he was to his actual sons. And now, after today, she might never see his bright smiling face, hear his bombastic laugher, again.

It wasn’t just her, Callum was also losing someone dear to him. A man he had felt self-cautious to be around for years and only recently managed to forge a stronger connection with. It wasn’t just their sparing from which they connected, but the conversations that naturally sprung from those moments. Talks of Sarai, of Callum growing up, of his not-so-secret crush on Rayla, and even talks about the kingdom and what Callum would need to know once he and Ezran got older.

Callum was the one who insisted on these talks, wanting to feel closer to the kingdom that was also his to protect. Harrow’s proud smile made Callum feel more at home and at peace than he had in so long, and all it took was one lucky spear-spinning trick to kickstart it.

“Prince Callum. Lady Rayla.” Harrow never greeted them this formally before. It felt so wrong, but the two responded by bowing in respect.

“My King,” Rayla said, bowing her head, hands folded below her stomach. Callum bent forward with one arm snaked around his waist.

“No, I...please,” Harrow lifted his hand slightly, his eyes pleading for them not to bow like servants. They were his children.

“Okay,” Callum said as he and Rayla stood up straight.

“Callum, Rayla, I... I know that...” Harrow stumbled, eyes darting back and forth between them, unable to decide to whom he should speak directly to first. There was so much he wanted to say to Callum. How proud he was of him, how much he loved him and believed in him. To Rayla, how sorry he was that they couldn’t find her family but was grateful to the fates for bringing her to them. He wanted to thank her for all the joy and laughter she brought into the castle, for loving her step-son and making him happy. For keeping Ezran out of the tunnels and into the outdoors more often.

But most of all, he wanted them to know he loved them more than words could express, written or otherwise, but by heaven, he sure tried his hardest when it came to writing them.

The king sighed, “This isn’t easy.” That was an understatement. “But the important things I’ve written down.” Harrow pulled out the letter from his back pocket and handed it to Callum.

“A letter?” Callum turned the scroll, sealed with red wax and stamped with the royal seal of Katolis; Two uneven towers which were also used as a design choice for Harrow’s crown.

“You’ll understand in time. I want you to break the seal when...” Harrow took a deep breath, fighting back the grief like a knight fending off a hungry beast. “Well, you’ll know when.”

_ When you’ve been killed _ _,_ Callum was about to say but he held his tongue. He couldn’t say it, not in front of Rayla. She was already struggling to keep it together.   


Harrow was most likely going to die, leaving the kids to fend for themselves. Katolis would be without a king and Ezran couldn’t run a kingdom now. Ezran was a bright kid, but that didn’t mean he was ready to deal with the complex politics that came with running an entire country. He kid still sucked on the jelly found underneaths his fingernails.

And Callum, he was just a teenager who was good at drawing, liked books and could swing a staff, but did any of that make him a good leader?

And Rayla... she watching her newfound family fall apart before her very eyes.

Callum swallowed the urge to cry. He had to be strong, for Ezran and for Rayla. But Rayla was resistant. “No,” she whimpered, stubbornly shaking her head.

“Rayla, please,” Harrow reached to cup her face, but she backed away.

“No! There has to be another way! This isn’t fair!”

“You’re right. It isn’t fair.” Harrow said, “What I did all those years ago wasn’t fair. What the dragons did to us wasn’t fair. War is never fair. There are centuries of crimes and wrongs on both sides. And I am responsible for some of those wrongs. I thought they were necessary, but now I do not know. But I am sure of one mistake, and now I must pay the price for my actions.”

“There has to be a way to make it right.” Rayla insisted, one hand clenching her pendant. “If you die somebody will get revenge against the dragons. It will never end. The only way to break this cycle is to make peace with the dragons, not fight them.”

“They will never accept peace.” Harrow said with pain in his voice, “Not from me.”

“Then what if someone else spoke on your behalf?”

“Rayla, what are you saying?” Callum asked, unsure if he liked where she was going with this. It was brave, but also incredibly brash and dangerous, which suited her character but wasn’t what they needed right now. He didn’t want to lose anyone else today.

“I’ve been studying the dragons, what if I tried to—“

“No!” Harrow’s command came out like a roar, silencing the girl. “We will not discuss this any further. You and the boys will be sent to the Banther Lodge. General Amaya is already on her way there, you are going. That is not a request, that is an order.”

Realizing his outburst, Harrow calmed down. He didn’t want their last conversation to be an argument. “I’m sorry. I failed at reuniting you with your birth family, but I won’t fail at my promise of keeping you safe.”

“I’m not a child,”

“I know. You’re a strong and capable young woman, which is why I need you to stay with the boys. Ezran is going to need you and Callum now more than ever. I don’t want this any more than you do, but what is done can not be undone.”

“But you’re the king, you can do anything.”

Harrow chuckled. Even now, she managed to make him laugh, even if it wasn’t intentional. “The great illusion of childhood is that adults have all the power and freedom. But, the truth is the opposite. A child is free-er than a king.”

Rayla looked completely defeated. Nothing she said was going to make a difference. She had no power to change things and knowing this broke her heart.

Callum clenched the letter in his hand. “I’m going to give this back to you this weekend, okay. I’m not going to have to open this.” He said it as though it were a fact or demand and not just wishful thinking. Callum wanted to believe it, and even if he had to force himself to do it he would. This couldn’t be the end, it just couldn’t.

“Take care of each other,” Harrow said, placing his hands behind his back and turning to face the line of floor to ceiling windows of the throne room. Rayla wanted to say more, but she ran out of words. She felt Callum’s hand on her shoulder to remind her that she was still amongst the living.

Rayla moved away from Callum and defiantly stood in front of Harrow. Her lilac eyes stared intensely back at the king, challenging him to stop whatever it was she was about to do. Harrow stared back at her. Even with his broken heart he still looked into her eyes with the same love he always held for her.

Rayla crashed into the king, snaking her arms around his torso and crying into his chest. Callum stood there, unable to move. Rayla has the courage to express exactly what he was feeling.

Angry. Hurt. Sad... scared.

Harrow looked over to his son. Their eyes met for a couple of seconds before Callum rushed in to join in the embrace. Harrow held them close, not wanting to let go but the ache in his heart reminded him that he would need to. He admired their bravery and courage, but they were still very young. The world would challenge them in so many ways and Harrow wished he could shield them from those challenges, to keep them as pure and innocent as Ezran, but he knew doing so would do them more harm than good.

He would only have to trust in their intuition and kindness. Harrow taught them everything he knew, about family, about love, and about sacrifice. Now, they would need to hold onto these teachings for Ezran’s sake. They were the future of Katolis. Hopefully, they would make better choices than he ever did. He truly believed that if anyone could break this seemingly never-ending cycle of violence, it would be them.

“I love you,” Rayla sobbed against his shirt. Her words struck him harder than a million swords coming at him at once. Harrow wanted to say the words back but couldn’t find the strength to speak them aloud. Instead, he kissed the top of Rayla’s head, and the proceeded to do the same to Callum. The prince wiped his tears, a mixture of both sadness, anger, and anxiety spun around inside of him like a twister.

“I love you both, so... so much.” Harrow’s voice cracked at that last bit. Callum only nodded. He didn’t know why he couldn’t say ‘I love you, Dad’ out loud.

No matter how much he wanted to.

(~)

The flight to Katolis was a piece of cake on wings and as a bird. After all, nobody would suspect a common pigeon of anything nefarious. Nyx was practically invisible. Once she reached the roof of the castle towers she briefly shifted back to her draconic form. She was lucky there weren’t any guards around. She took in the fresh midair air and looked onto the horizon, the forest now miles apart from her.

“Who’s the coward now, Siveth,” Nyx smirked and shifted into a hummingbird, the same red-wine colorations as her feathers, and flew inside the castle

(~)

Callum and Rayla walked side by side in mournful silence until Rayla finally broke it. “Are you okay?” She asked. In truth she already knew the answer, this was just her subtle way of trying to ask why Callum didn’t just tell Harrow he loved him too. She felt guilty for having said it before he did.

Callum was feeling guilty himself for not saying ‘I love you’ to his stepfather. But he didn’t want his first ‘I love you’ to also be his final goodbye. Callum took a deep breath before responding. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just find Ezran and—“ before he could continue the two stopped at the sound. Their ears picked up the sound of rapid wingbeats from the second hallway they walked by.

“Did you hear that?” Callum asked. Judging by the alert look on her face, the sound was not lost on Rayla’s ears either. She always did have disturbingly good hearing.

“Ez, is that you?” Rayla asked. The two followed the sound into another hallway aligned with empty suits of armor and tall windows. Nyx flew above the couple and landed behind an empty suit of armor. She shifted back to her draconic form and tiptoed behind them.

Callum and Rayla played along with “Ezran’s” little game for a couple more minutes. As fun as it would have been to keep pretending everything was right with the world that they could play hide and seek all day, the reality was that they would need to leave by sundown and there was nothing they could do to change it.

“You know you can’t sneak up on us like—“ Callum’s smug smile disappeared the moment he laid eyes on the tall imposing form of a woman with wings, a long tail, horns, and claws. Rayla gasped at the sight, the creature’s feathered wings spread out, casting a long shadow that consumed hers and Callum’s.

Despite his shaking, Callum shielded Rayla with his arm. “Uh, you’re not—you’re —you’re one of the—“

“Not much a smooth talker, are you?” Nyx said with a slithery voice and a sinister grin which did the job of exposing her menacing sharp fangs.

Rayla quickly reached for one of the swords from the suit of armor and jumped in front of Callum, pointing the tip of her weapon at the dragon. It was just like Viren said, these dragons could take on different forms. From the looks of it, one of those forms was a draconic-humanoid.

“That’s far enough!” Rayla warned, her grip on her sword was as firm as a stone.

“Put down the toy, girly. You’ll chip a nail.” Nyx teased, “I’m looking for someone, so if you value your life you’ll tell me what I want to know.”

“Oh, is that all? Would you mind if we talked back there?” Callum pointed to his right. When Nyx’s eyes darted to where Callum was pointing, Rayla pulled down one of the tapestries on the wall and threw it at the dragon.

Callum quickly grabbed Rayla’s hand and the two dashed down the corridor. Nyx tore the tapestry to bits with her claws, let out an annoyed hiss, and chased after the two, zipping through hallways like an arrow with a mind of its own.

Callum grabbed one of the flower pots nearby and hurled it at the dragons. Nyx narrowly dodged it and the couple ran up the stairs into the open air, running across the rooftops. They spotted two guards on post.

“Dragon!” Callum should as he and Rayla rushed behind the guards, “She’s right behind us!”

The guards readied their swords just as Nyx appeared, claws out and teeth snapping. She jumped over them and while in mid-air she unleashed a powerful gust of wind from her hands, pushing the guards back until they flipped over and landed hard on the stone floor.

“That was a fun warm-up,” Nyx said, smudgy dusting off her hands. “Now, where—huh?” Nyx growled, seeing that the two had escaped while she was busy with the guards. “Humans. They never make anything easy.”

Callum and Rayla ran up the spiraling staircase and hurried into the first room they could find. Rayla sealed the doors by putting the sword through the handles. They had only a split second to realize they had stumbled into Lord Viren’s study. They walked backward away from the door. From the long thin opening that separated the bottom of the doors from the floor the light of the torches seeped into the room like rays of the setting sun. They could barely make out the shadow of the dragon’s feet and restless tail.

If they weren’t running for their lives and if not for the fact that Harrow was about to be assassinated by dragons looking to avenge their dead king, Callum would be having a field day overseeing a real-life dragon up close. Not the earth-shattering, awe-inspiringly mystical encounter he had always hoped for. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to learn that dragons could take on humanoid form as well. This was new information for him.

Callum and Rayla waited patiently, sweat trailing from their brows all the way down to their necks until the dragon left. The two sighed in relief, but the calm did not last.

The doors burst open, the sword flying from the handles and hitting the floor with a loud clang. Callum and Rayla were thrown across the room by a powerful wind. Harrow’s letter rolled out from Callum’s backpack.

Callum rubbed his head, having crashed against Viren’s desk while Rayla was spread out on the floor with her hair on her face. When she saw the dragon towering over her with her massive wings, Rayla scurried away, her back pressed up against the desk next to Callum.

“Hate to be a downer, but playtime’s over.” Nyx sneered as she walked further into the room, her long tail slashing back and forth. “It doesn’t have to be this way, you know. Tell me where I can find the king and princes, and I’ll let you love bugs live.”

Callum glared at the dragon and defiantly proclaimed; “We’re not going to let you hurt him.”

Nyx shrugged, “Okay, I tried asking nicely,” She pulled her staff from the strap on her back and pointed the twin sharp ends at Callum’s throat. “Any last words?”

“Does ‘sweep the leg’ count as a word?” Rayla said with a playful glint in her eye.

“What?—AH!” Nyx lost her footing when Rayla, literally, pulled the rug from underneath her. With Nyx down, Rayla reached for her sword and pointed it at Nyx’s neck once she recovered from the surprise attack. Callum swiped her staff, which she dropped mid-fall, and pointed the end close to her neck.

“Not so good on the other end, is it?” Callum said with renewed confidence.

Nyx held up her hands, “Okay, okay, you’ve made your point.” She chuckled at her own bad pun, “Listen, we got off to a bad start. Why don’t we all just sit down and talk about this?” Nyx squeaked when Rayla held her sword right above Nyx’s heart.

The couple was genuinely surprised to see a dragon fold so quickly. She was a SkyWing dragon with the power of the sky at her fingertips. She could summon a tornado or shoot lightning is she wanted. This SkyWing looked and behaved more like a teenager close to Soren and Claudia’s age. The two were cautious, she could just be luring them into a false sense of security.

“You’re not going anywhere until you tell us where the dragons are,” Rayla said.

“What are you doing?” Callum whispered. Rayla didn’t answer him right away. Her plan was the same one she tried to pitch to Harrow earlier. Maybe if she spoke with the dragons they could see reason. Then again, maybe threatening one of their own to discover the whereabouts of their camp probably wasn’t the best idea. She really should have thought this through more, but it was a little hard to come up with a flawless strategic plan while running for your life from a persistent draconic humanoid creature.

“What makes you think that I would....wait,” Nyx’s irises dilated when she saw the shining gleam of the girl’s pendant. “Where did you get that?”

Rayla looked down at her necklace, “It belongs to me,” she replied harshly. “Don’t even think about taking it.” She studied the dragon’s expressions, the markings on her face, and two-colored eyes which sparked an image in the back of Rayla’s mind.

Nyx studied the girl’s facial features in the light that bathed the room from the broken doors. The SkyWing gasped.

“It can’t be... Rhiannon?”

(~)

As his knights adjusted their king’s armor Harrow wished he could be like so many other lucky fools who, when cornered by death’s merciless breath, could proudly proclaim he had no regrets.

While he lived a good life up until now, one with love and friendship, he was also plagued with so many regrets. Foolish mistakes from his youth, from his early adult years, even mistakes he made just last week.

The first was his regret that he didn’t try harder to reach out to Callum years before now. He respected his stepson’s feelings and didn’t wish to pressure him into a genuine father-son relationship. Harrow wasn’t Callum’s birth father, and it made him feel very insecure about their relationship.

The past six months made up for the first ten years of friendly but still awkward exchanges between them. For the first time, Harrow and Callum had the true, honest relationship he always dreamed about. But this short amount of time also enforced the notion that he wasted all that time beforehand.

The second thing he regretted was not being able to be there for Ezran when he grows up. To watch him change from a boy into a man, to see him take the crown with all the courage and wisdom he would have developed by then and with the hope of new challenges and lessons waiting for him. He regretted not telling Ezran the truth, but he trusted Callum to guide his younger brother just as Harrow and Sarai would have wanted him to.

He regretted not being there for Rayla right now, for sending her away after she just became an official member of his family. He tried to envision a possible future, one where the outcome of this event would fold in his favor. That he would survive and would see his kids at the Banther Lodge sharing ice cream on the hot summer afternoon and spend time there, just the four of them.

He pictured Ezran as a young man, a king with life and energy in his eyes even long after his childhood had passed. He pictured Callum by his side, strong and wise and loyal, and by his side would be Rayla, with a beauty that rivaled the most bewitching mermaid or dryad, their hands linked together, maybe even matching wedding rings on their fingers. And for the cherry on top, a beautiful child chasing an elderly Bait around the castle, Ezran reading them stories from the library, the child cuddling a stuffed dragon in its arms, while Callum and Rayla watched with content smiles on their faces, and Harrow in his golden years watching it all unfold with the peace of mind that came with old age.

All of this could still happen... the only difference being that Harrow may not be there to see it in person. At least he would surely watch over them from the stars, standing alongside Sarai.

Despite his regrets, he had the reassurance that his children would be smart and brave enough to face the world.

But the thing Harrow regretted the most was the mistake which lead to all of this. The mistake triggered this chain of events and now he would pay the price for his vengeful act. Even now he could still see the face of the dragon king, his large golden eyes staring into his soul. Harrow knew he could read his heart at a glance, and it both frightened and enraged him.

When he hurled that spear and struck the dragon’s heart, Harrow thought it would bring him release from his hatred.

Release never came.

If anything Harrow felt more trapped than ever. His hatred soiled his heart like a toxin, and just when he became aware of it it had already reached his bloodstream and killed the last remaining part of him that was still human.

That day, Harrow did not act like a king or a husband... he acted like a beast, starving for satisfaction and seeking it in the wrong place. Now, the loved ones of the pray he had murdered to quench his thirst were coming for him.

Harrow had lost the will, and the energy, to hate.

The doors opened and Viren stepped in. On one hand, he held a rounded basket.

“Not a great day for a picnic, Viren,” Harrow said dryly. His usual humorous tone had been dried up like a desert.

“On that, we agree.” Viren closed the doors behind him and further entered the throne room. “Katolis has not faced a direct dragon attack in generations. Their powers have grown and there is no telling what else they are capable of if they can already deceive us by changing their form. They could very well take on the face of anyone we know and we wouldn’t be able to tell.”

“I am aware of this.”

“For all we know, nothing in the five kingdoms would be able to stop them. None of our common weapons will be enough.”

“Not helping, Viren.”

“But, what if we had a different type of weapon? One that could distinguish a dragon... from a human?” The corners of Viren’s mouth curled upwards. Harrow raised a brow in suspicion and then he heard something squeaking inside the basket.

“Most of the spells I have managed to dig up weren’t enough to outright kill a dragon, but I did find one that the very first mage Ziard concocted in order to protect his people from the wrath of the dragons. Most records of the spell have been lost, but I managed to acquire a very old copy.”

Viren placed the basket on the floor and slid the top off to reveal a black colored rat with beady red eyes. It clicked its teeth and squeaked while sniffing the air. The rat then scurried away and several guards stepped back in disgust. Harrow stood still, seemingly unimpressed.

Viren pulled from his sleeve a green-colored spear with onyx crystals inside. The mage began to recite a chilling incantation then hurled the spear to the floor where it shattered and the rocks became a dark ghostly mist. For a moment the face of a skull appeared before dissolving into darkness. The mist spun around by the guards and Harrow like flying snakes, ignoring their presence until it reached the rat. The creature squealed in terror as the mist consumed it. The guards and even Harrow gasped seeing the rat now completely frozen in dark crystals. To wrap up his presentation, Viren approached the rat and with one aggressive swing of his staff, he crushed the petrified rodent, rendering it to pieces. Even the guards had to agree that this was downright sadistic.

Viren’s eyes reverted to normal. “With this incantation, I can command the crystals to go after any creature of my choosing, regardless of where it is or what form it takes. We fight magic with magic.”

(~)

“How is this possible? Everyone thought you were dead.”

“What are you talking about? Who are you?” Rayla asked, feeling her head suddenly become lighter, like a balloon slowly deflating.

The SkyWing seemed hurt by her question, “Don't you remember me? How can you—“ her eyes landed on Callum, and her pupils became slits, her hair rising along with her anger. “You! What twisted spell have you put on her!” Nyx snarled, claws out and ready to scratch Callum’s insides out.

“Whoa, whoa! I think there’s been a big misunderstanding,” Callum replied, feeling confused. At the sound of his voice cracking, Nyx sought her change and aggressively snatched the weapon from his hands, pushing him back with her tail.

“Callum!” Rayla rushed to his side, checking him for injury. “Are you okay?”

“A little bruised, but I think I’ll live,” Callum said in a raspy voice, clenching his stomach. Rayla picked up her sword and pointed it at Nyx, protecting Callum.

“I only came here to kill the king and his sons, but now I’ll just have to add dark mage to the list,” said Nyx.

“I’m not a mage! Dark or otherwise,” said Callum.

“Leave him alone! He’s done nothing wrong!” Rayla shouted, shielding Callum from Nyx, sword at the ready.

“How can you forget what the humans did to you? What did to your people? To your father?”

At the mention of this, Rayla slowly lowered her sword. “My father?”

Before she could process the dragon’s words, which still didn’t make any sense, the three of them heard a whisper coming from a massive painting on the wall. It was a rather tacky painting of a sad-looking farm girl holding a lamb. It really didn’t go with the rest of the decor.

“ _Callum... Pts! Rayla..._ ”

The couple recognized the voice. It was Ezran. Of all the times for him to show up, it had to be while a dragon was hunting for him, Callum and Harrow.

“Go away!” Callum whispered through his teeth.

“ _ I found something, _ ” Ezran said, seemingly ignoring Callum’s order.

“Is that painting talking?” Nyx tilted her head to the side.

“What? No, of course not.” Rayla scoffed, trying to act casual, “I didn’t hear anything, did you?” She nodded to Callum, who also scoffed, trying to feign innocence.

“Was there a noise? I didn’t hear anything. Paintings.  _Don’t_ . Talk.” Callum paused on each word for emphasis, narrowing his eyes at the painting, hoping Ezran got the message.

From behind the painting, they heard Ezran sigh, “ _Are you guys having Kissy-Face time again? This is serious!_ ”

Nyx shuddered at the thought of seeing these two sucking face. Ignoring Rayla and Callum’s desperate “No!”, Nyx pushed the painting to the side, revealing to be a secret door leading into a large tunnel. Standing in the center of the pathway was Ezran, caught with Bait in one arm and a jelly tart in the other.

Ezran froze when he saw the winged-woman with horns standing before him, while Rayla and Callum looked like they had been cornered.

“Uuuuuuuuh... jelly tart?” Ezran offered the scaly lady his treat, to which she sneered and growled like an angry cat. Bait croaked, a failed attempt to look intimidating.

“Kid, get out of here!” Callum exclaimed, careful not to use his real name.

“Callum, what’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Nyx spoke, “You’re going to hand that girl over to me or else little sticky-fingers here gets acquainted with my claws and my teeth!”

“You stay away from him!” Rayla ordered. All eyes landed on Ezran who chewed loudly, his cheeks stuffed with his jelly tart. He swallowed his snack before talking.

“Before I meet your claws and teeth, have you met Bait? Say hello to my little friend.”

Ezran turned his head away and closed his eyes while Bait, living up to his specie’s name, glowed like he never glowed before. His light blinded Nyx, who fell to her knees while hissing angrily. Callum and Rayla shielded their eyes just in time, only to open them again once the light dimmed.

“Guys, follow me. I have to show you something.”

Rayla looked over at Nyx again, still thinking about what she said. Did this dragon really know her father? If so, how? Where had she seen her pendant? And why did she call her Rhiannon? Why did that name sound so familiar?

Callum grabbed Rayla’s hand and led her down the tunnel, in her thoughts she forgot to retrieve her sword. Ezran closed the hidden door behind him, unknowingly leaving behind jelly fingerprints.

Once Nyx’s sight returned she grabbed her staff and followed them, pulling back the secret door and into the tunnel.

(~)

“No,” Harrow said firmly.

“No? I am offering you the key to our kingdom’s entire salvation and you say ‘No’?” Viren’s temper erupted while Harrow turned around, not facing his old friend. “Harrow, the dragons are coming to destroy us all and you’d rather spare your pride than protect yourself and your people? How can you be so foolish?”

“So naturally, your solution is the same as it was years ago.” Harrow turned around, his dreadlocks flaring up before crashing against his armored shoulders. “It’s dark magic. That has always been your answer to everything.”

“And you want to know why? Because it’s clever, it’s brilliant, it’s practical! It will save your life and many, many others!”

“It’s a short cut! It’s the very reason the dragons despise us! If we attack them using the same weapon we used against the dragon king—the weapon  I used against him—it won’t solve anything. More dragons will come to avenge those we killed, and Katolis and the other kingdoms will be forced to fight back. Don’t you see? We may not pay now but we will pay the blood price eventually. Dark magic was what got us here in the first place and it will continue to circle us right back to the same place again, and again.”

Everything Harrow said reminded Viren so much of that wench of his. And no, he didn’t care that he called the king’s ward a ‘wench’, even in his own mind, because that was exactly what she was. A filthy, dirty low-life who was plucked out of the gutter and given the lab of luxury for no other reason aside from her beauty and youth. She always spoke of how this war was unwindable because both sides were hurting. She foolishly believed dragons and faeries had emotions and lives like humans did, but Viren didn’t see it that way. These creatures had power that they hoarded for themselves while humanity had to work themselves to the bone in order to survive, and the moment they gained the upper hand these creatures want to retaliate because they can’t handle these “lesser beings” actually overpowering their oppressors.

In Viren’s eyes faeries and dragons needed to be put in their place, it was humanity they should serve not the other way around.

But Harrow wasn’t seeing clearly. Now, of all times for him to become completely submissive to the girl’s inane mentality. 

“You’re acting stubborn and ungrateful!”

“Should I be grateful that we destroyed the dragon king? Thank you Viren for starting this unwindable war. Thank you for angering the dragons and the faeries so much that tonight they are here for my life!”

“Destroying that dragon saved our kingdom. Maybe all of humanity!”

“It was a foolish act of vengeance that solved  _nothing!_ ”

“It instated our position as the dominant race of this earth! We vanquished the king of the dragons, two mere humans, and now we will show all of Xadia the power humanity has at their disposal!”

“By using the very power that we stole from them? Oh, yes, they’re sure to fear us now. Is that all you care about? Being one step above the faes and dragons?”

“It’s not about me, it’s about us. All of us and our future.”

“And what about what  _I_ want? What about what the  _people_ want? Did you ever stop to consider that? Did you ever stop to listen to anyone else? What about Claudia, she’s proven that we don’t need dark magic to survive and you keep turning down her ideas. Maybe you should get off of your high horse for once and actually listen to somebody else’s voice for a change! And maybe if I had been smart enough to say ‘No’ to you for once we wouldn’t even be talking about this!”

Harrow’s voice was louder than the fiercest lion’s roar, enough to make even the most stoned-face guard quiver at his might. Harrow sat on his throne, sighing while rubbing his eyes. At least Viren was right about one thing; His men wouldn’t be enough to fight the dragons, but if he went along with Viren’s idea then what would it do? It would guarantee yet another attack and the animosity between Katolis and Xadia would become even more strained.

“What is done can not be undone.” Viren said, “I am offering you a path forward. Your discomfort is understandable but we must swallow it for the good of our people. Surely you of all people would know that.”

“I do.” Harrow said without thought. “But how many times must I keep pressing the wound until it’s lost all chance of healing?”

“The only way to heal is to fight back.”

Harrow shook his head and stood from his throne. “Get out.”

“You can’t ignore this, Harrow.”

“Get. Out.”

Viren’s grip on his scepter tightened so hard he was sure the patterns had molded onto his skin. The mage picked up the basket and stormed out of the throne room. Once he was gone Harrow sunk back into his chair.

He knew what needed to be done, anything to secure the safety of his kingdom and his children.

Even if it meant his hopes for their future would have to carry on without him.

(~)

The tunnel was large enough for an entire army to walk through, stone archways were carved right from the interior of the cave and pillars of brick and stone appeared around every corner. In between the pillars were carved openings on the walls, each with illuminating geodes that bathed the cobblestone floor with an aquatic glow.

Rayla wanted to stop and admire the architectural design and beautiful gems, but the SkyWing still chasing her and the princes made that rather difficult to do.

“You’re only making this worse for yourself, mage!” The draconic woman’s voice echoed through the walls.

“You’re chasing the wrong guy, lady!” Callum called out.

“This way!” Ezran slid to a stop and made a sharp turn to his left. Callum and Rayla followed and after a few more steps they stopped in front of an opening which had been sealed up with rocks.

“Dead end!” Rayla turned to make sure the dragon wasn’t right behind them. She reached for something around her waist but clenched only air. “I left my sword!”

“It’s okay, I got this.” Ezran began tapping various stones on the wall. The stones themselves pressed downwards like buttons on a toy. “Rock, rock, stone, rock, stone, stone, rock, stone, rock, sto—“

“Wait, what’s the difference between the rocks and the stones,” Callum asked, breaking Ezran’s concentration.

“You made me do stone instead of rock.”

“I hate to be a pushy mother hen, but could you speed it up a little!” Rayla’s ears wiggled when she heard a distant gust of wind. “She’s coming.”

Ezran continued his chant again. Rayla maintained a defensive stance. She may not have her sword but she still had her fists for punching and feet for kicking. Callum bit his nails, trembling and pacing his feet in place until Ezran finally completed the puzzle.

The ground beneath them started to move and rearrange into a tunnel with a spiral staircase leading underground. As impressed as they were with Ezran’s ingenuity, they also had a lot of questions. How and when did he find this secret tunnel? How did he figure out the combination? How many times has he been down here?

Those questions would have to wait. They heard the dragon’s screeching from afar and Rayla pushed both boys ahead of her. They hurried down the stairs until they reached an underground room filled with all sorts of odd and unusual items. Rayla and Callum were immediately bombarded with a putrid odor.

“Guys, come on!” Ezran dragged the two deeper into the room. He didn’t know what they were smelling, but right now he focused on getting them inside before moving on to push own the head of a strange-looking gargoyle. The stairs began to raise up into the ceiling again, sealing them inside, and away from the dragon.

For a moment, Rayla and Callum forgot about the smell. It was still there, but they tried to direct their attention to something else. Anything else, really.

“You sure she won’t be able to follow us?” Callum asked, hand hovering covering his nose and mouth but his words were heard clearly.

“No way,” Ezran shook his head with a confident smile on his face, “It took me a month to figure out that combination.”

“Only one month?” Rayla said, “That alone is impressive.”

The staircase descended again, revealing the SkyWing at the foot of the stairs. Ezran’s eyes widened in shock, “But, how did you—?“

“I heard your little puzzle game down the halls and pressed all the stones with the jelly hand prints.”

Ezran, Callum and Rayla all faced palmed. Ezran because he couldn’t believe he was so stupid to leave jelly prints everywhere (a reminder to always wash his hands after eating) and Callum and Rayla for forgetting that dragons had very keen senses of hearing, and seeing as they were inside a long echoing hallway, it was painful that it didn’t cross their mind.

When Nyx stepped foot into the room her nose crinkled and her eyes looked as though they were about to pop right out of her head. She covered her nose, bombarded by the same stench that overtook Callum and Rayla. The dragon coughed, clenching her throat while sticking out her tounge in disgust.

“Erk! What is that smell?!” Nyx adjusted her vision to the items on the wall. Despite the horrid smell she composed herself to get a good look at everything. There were shelves stocked with items Nyx could only ever see in her nightmares.

Severed Minotaur horns, the skull of a peryton, the severed wings of a butterfly pixie, the tail fin of a mermaid, a kappa’s cracked shell, and the cloven hooves of satyrs and centaurs trapped in jars, swimming inside a ghastly looking green liquid.

“What is this place?” Nyx’s body shivered as though a cold wind just blew into the room. She tried rubbing her arms for warmth but it did her no good.

“Siveth was right. There’s nothing in humans worth sparing.” Nyx pulled out her staff and pointed it at the group, “Time’s up. Hand over the girl and I promise your deaths will be quick.”

Rayla stepped in front of the boys, facing the dragon. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“I’m only trying to help you, Rhiannon.”

“Rayla, you know her?” Ezran asked.

“No. I mean, I don’t think I...” Rayla stopped. A sound reached her ears. It was distant but was growing louder and closer with every second that passed.

“I’m asking you one last time. Give me—“

“Wait!” said Rayla, cutting off the SkyWing “I hear something.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” said Ezran, pointing towards an old trunk at the far end of the room in between two wooden shelves stacked with books and jars. “I can hear something inside.”

“I hear it too.” Callum said. It sounded like... music and... thumping. Like a heart beat. Bait stood beside the trunk, croaking as though inviting them to open it.

Nyx heard the sound also but she refused to lay down her weapon. “If this is another flashing frog trick—.”

“He’s a glow toad.” Ezran corrected, while Bait glowed an annoyed orange.

“Whatever,”

“Please, just give us a few minutes. There will be no tricks, I promise.” Rayla said. She couldn’t explain why but for some reason she felt she needed to see what was inside that box. Ez was right, there was something in there. Something alive.

Nyx stared at her and then at the princes. “Fine. You’ve got five minutes.”

Rayla nodded and turned to the chest. She swallowed her nerves and tossed open the lid. Inside the large chest were books and jars, but Rayla pushed those back to find a smaller wooden box made out of redwood with a golden lock in the center.

The sound grew louder and a faint light peeked through the keyhole. Rayla held the plain looking box in her hands. It felt warm to the touch, like holding a steaming cup of Claudia’s signature hot chocolate. Nyx leaned to her right to sneak a peek at whatever it was they found. She could hear the thumping from where she stood. She took a tentative step towards the trio. This time, Rayla didn’t try to stop her. She sensed the dragon would not harm them.

She wouldn’t.

Rayla’s finger hovered over the keyhole, beneath the box was a secret compartment which opened up when she pressed it. Inside was the key. When she unlocked it the lid flew open all on its own.

A radiant blue light nearly blinded them but once their eyes adjusted the item inside took their breath away. The object pulsed like a beating heart but shimmered like a luminescent blue opal.

Nyx finally dropped her weapon at the sight and fell to her knees. Now she knew why the sound felt so familiar.

“Impossible,”

“What is it?” Ezran asked, looking over Rayla’s arm to see the object up close. It was so beautiful, more lovely than any jewel he had ever seen, and its light was warm and welcoming like his father’s hugs.

Rayla stared at the object, her lilac eyes shimmering. Before her brain could process her actions, Rayla reached into the box and held the beating item in her hand. The beating accelerated and her skin began to burn.

Rayla screamed in agony and fell to her knees, the pounding item still clenched in her hand. Despite the pain, she refused to let go. Her muscles and bones burned as she fell to her knees, her pulse falling in line with the pulsing of the item she held.

She heard Callum and Ezran call out her name but she couldn’t see them. The room disappeared and all she saw was a cloudy sky with rain and thunder, dragons flying everywhere, spewing fire and lightning. She heard a mighty roar but rather than inspire fear it inspired grief and sorrow. Her back ached at the feeling of being plundered to the earth like a comet falling from the heavens. Rayla let out a pained cry at the feeling of something sharp being pierced into her chest.

She saw a silhouette loom over her, blocking the battle raging above her. His shape was familiar but she could barely make out his face. He was clenching his wounded arm, blood seeping through his clothes. Wails of pain and screams of anguish fell all around her. Hot tears streamed down her face and the last thing she saw was a heartbroken Harrow laying on the ground, helpless to prevent the tragedy before him.

The skies disappeared, Harrow, the shadowy figure, the screams, everything was gone. Rayla’s mind and vision were consumed by darkness and she fell to the ground, the glowing item rolling out of her clenched hand.

“Rayla!” Callum caught her in his arms right before her head hit the ground. He cradled her in his arms while Ezran and Bait stood beside them, careful not to touch the glowing object that made Rayla pass out.

Nyx stood up but did not pick up her weapon. She showed nothing but concern for the now unconscious girl. Callum almost forgot the dragon was still there, his attention directed only on Rayla and her wellbeing.

As the girl slumbered they realized that her skin now had a pinkish hue and her hair had been completely drained of its golden sheen, rendering it a pure, snowy white. Callum cupped Rayla’s sleeping face, his fingers gently brushing against something that began to appear across her cheekbones.

Were those... scales?

(~)

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mamma Mia! Who else saw that coming? (XD)
> 
> In case you’re wondering.... No. What they found was NOT a dragon egg. Making that perfectly clear. 
> 
> The name Rhiannon is a Welsh name of a female deity from Celtic myth who, as Wikipedia described; “a strong-minded Otherworld woman. Intelligent, politically strategic, beautiful, and famed for her wealth and generosity.” The name means ‘Great Queen’, which is another hint to Rayla’s true identity.
> 
> If you guys want to roast Viren (I mean literally, ) I've got your pitchforks and torches right here. Get me while they're hot! AVENGE THE BABIES!!
> 
> Until next time, God bless. *kiss, kiss*


	14. Chapter 14

It was already close to sundown and Claudia still hadn’t found Evie or the other snake sprites. She went back to her room, the first place she looked, hoping they had returned while she  searched the rest of the castle from top to bottom. Having lived in this grand home for most of her life, Claudia recognized every twist and turn, but her knowledge of the castle’s outline did little to help in the search for her little reptile friends.

To her dismay and worry, the snake sprites weren’t in her room and the window from which they always went in and out was still locked. How strange, they weren’t normally this elusive.

The sun was setting behind the mountaintops. Callum, Rayla, and Ezran would be leaving soon. Claudia hated having to say goodbye to them,even if it was for their own protection. Just as she was preparing to leave she heard a knock on the window.

“Evie!”

Claudia quickly opened the window and Evie flew right in, curling around the mage’s shoulders. “Oh my gosh! Where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere.”

Something wasn’t right. Evie looked tired, almost deflated. Without Claudia or her siblings around to guide her, the poor thing barely survived the task of making her way alone through the massive castle. She was almost swatted by cowardly maids and nearly spotted by Viren, and don’t even get her started on how the walls that all looked the same. She really should have paid better attention to the corridors. Lesson well learned. At least she was here now, safe in Claudia’s arms. Evie started hissing anxiously and dropped the velvet pouch she was holding with her tail in Claudia’s hand.

“Hey, this is my Dad’s. Where did you...?” Claudia opened the pouch and saw a rolled-up piece of paper. When she unfolded it a torn piece of a butterfly’s wing fell elegantly at her feet like a leaf in autumn. When Claudia picked it up she immediately recognized it.

“Branch? Where is he? What happened?”

Evie pointed to the piece of paper and Claudia quickly unrolled it.

(~)

The hour was at hand. King Harrow, clothed in his armor and with his golden crown on his head, was escorted by his army of men and women to his sleeping quarters in the highest tower of the castle.

Soren bowed before the king, offering him his sword. Even with an army to protect him, Harrow was ready to fight alongside them during his final hours. He was a king, but he was also a warrior, and staying by the sidelines was not something he believed a good king should do. While his life mattered to his subjects, their lives mattered to him.

As Harrow held his sword, his green eyes reflecting back at him on  the shiny surface. The image of the dragon king’s golden eyes came and went in a blink. If the dragons of the stars could hear his prayers, Harrow hoped they could see his remorse and, if they truly were the wonderful beasts his children always fantasied they were, then may they show mercy for his people and his family. He would rather die in their place than have more innocents suffer.

As the king marched alongside his knights he held his head high with a straight and poised posture while wearing a neutral expression. Soren walked alongside the king and while everyone else directed their attention to the path ahead, the young man was the only one who noticed the subtle signs of nervousness from the king. His eyebrows twitched, eyes shifting from one guard to the next, and his fingers would curl and uncurl in a fidgeting manner. For the first time since Soren could remember, the king didn’t look like a king, but a man every bit as scared for his life as anyone else.

Once they reached his sleeping chambers, Harrow turned to Soren. “Do not worry, Your Majesty. No dragon will get through on our watch.” Soren said, deepening his voice to sound much older that he was. The truth was, he was just as scared as Harrow was. He could never shake away the sight of those reptilian eyes staring down at him, animalistic yet human all at once.

Harrow smiled. Soren was the youngest captain of the crown-guard Katolis ever had. Harrow remembered the day he first gave the young lad his armor and sword. The euphoria in his eyes and his struggle to stay composed all throughout the ceremony tugged on the corners of Harrow’s mouth, forming a half-smile. But underneath that armor was still a young heart, filled with promise and hope.

A young man who, sadly, had to force himself to grow up quicker than his friends.

Harrow too remembered all those years when Soren, Claudia, and Callum would play knights and dragons together, reciting the old code with such bravado while wearing fake armor far too large or heavy for their little bodies. That friendship had dwindled as time went on, much to Harrow’s sadness. He never wanted their relationship to become as strained as his and Viren’s.

“Soren,” Harrow spoke, “Promise me one thing. If anything happens, please stay with my children. Protect and serve them as you have done for Katolis and for me.”

Soren was surprised by the king’s request. The way he spoke, he sounded like he had already accepted his death.

“Nothing is going to happen,” Soren said, unable to stop his voice from cracking.

Harrow clasped the young man’s shoulder. “Recite the oath for me.”He said. It came out more as a request rather than an outright command.

Soren breathed in and out before complying. “A knight is sworn to valor. His sword defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His words speak only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked.”

“You’ve lived by this oath long before I gave you your armor, and I trust you will live by it long afterward. Promise me, son. If not for me, then for my children.”

Soren hesitated only for a moment but then bowed formally to the kind, “I promise.”

“And thank you... for everything.” Harrow bowed his head once then closed the doors behind him. Soren noticed the guards staring at him. He gave them a dark look and they redirected their posture, straight as poles. Soren stood guard in between them, the oath still fresh in his mouth.

He said the words, but he wasn’t sure if he spoke them from the heart.

(~)

Harrow swung his sword a couple of times and sighed sadly before putting it back into its  sheath. He hoped he wouldn’t need it. When the dragons came, he would willingly offer them his life if only they would spare his citizens. The death of the dragon king was his burden and his alone, nobody else’s.

Pip flew in from the balcony, which was also patrolled by guards, each with a crossbow in hand. The raven and green feathered bird perched himself on his human companion’s shoulder.

“This may be the end.”

Pip cooed and nuzzled the king’s cheek. Harrow tickled his feathers.

“Aww, who gives the best birdy kisses? Pip does.”

(~)

Viren was appalled to see the doors of his study ripped off their hinges and splattered all over the floor in planks of wood. He searched for clues as to who was responsible for this act of vandalism, until a voice from behind rattled him.

“ _What did you do?!_ ”   


Viren sharply spun around and saw his daughter standing in the middle of the doorway, clenching a piece of paper in her trembling hand. Her green eyes stared darkly at her father, a look that could make anyone, even a grown man like himself, cower in fear.

“Claudia, what is the meaning of—“

“What did you do?!” Claudia repeated as she stomped her way into her father’s study, ignoring the broken doorway, while waving the piece of paper at her father’s face.

Viren snatched the paper, which was already terribly wrinkled from the pressure of Claudia’s hold. When Viren saw what was written his gray eyes widened and the color, or what little color there was, drained from his face, leaving him almost as white as a blank canvas.

It was a torn-off piece of his spellbook with the instructions for the petrifying spell Viren demonstrated to Harrow earlier. Things got even worse when he saw one of the snake sprites poke its head from behind Claudia’s shoulder, hissing angrily with its body arched and its wings rippling like ocean waves, its big brown eyes  becoming slits, revealing its yellow scleras.

Viren felt like hitting himself for having missed one and, judging from the evidence, he also made the mistake of underestimating their intelligence. His daughter was the one who trained them, he should have known better.

“I don’t understand,” Viren said, trying to feign innocence.

“Neither do I. Care to explain?” Claudia growled. 

“Are you implying that I had anything to do with your snake friends’ disappearance? That’s absurd!”

“Then explain  _this!_ ” Claudia opened her other palm to reveal a piece of the torn-off butterfly wing. Viren recognized it as belonging to one of the many snake sprites he did manage to capture.   


“How should I know? We have more important things to worry about then where your wild pets are, Claudia! I was only trying to find a solution to our problem but it doesn’t even matter. I can’t make the spell work without the raw ingredients to make it. Something you would know if you actually took the time to help me rather than waste your time playing with flowers all day.”

Viren believed that if he turned the whole conversation around then Claudia would fold and listen to him. He hated lying to her, but he knew she would react this way. She would understand in the long run, but for now he needed to cloak the truth until the time was right. For a moment, it seemed to be working. Claudia’s anger appeared to be debilitating. Evie continued to hiss while Claudia fidgeted with her pockets.

“I’m sorry.” Claudia wrapped her arms around her father’s neck, catching him off guard. “You would never do anything to hurt me, right?”

“Of course not, you’re my daughter. I would never lie to you.”

“I really hope so.”

“What do you mean?” Viren gasped when he felt something sharp prick the back of his neck. Claudia released her father, wearing a dark expression. In her hand was a tiny needle with a glowing yellow liquid which trailed down from the tiny punctured hold on Viren’s neck.

“Claudia, what have you done?!”

“A little mixture I concocted last month. The old mages called it Truth Serum.”

Viren’s eyes widened as he gripped his throat. He could feel the mixture seeping into his bloodstream. Claudia knew this potion worked, she tested it on Soren by slipping it into his hot brown morning potion to learn the whereabouts of what happened to her secret stash of honey cookies.

Soren wasn’t the culprit, but he did make the mistake of informing Bait. The glow toad found the stash and ate all of the cookies in one gulp.

Claudia didn’t want it to come to this, but there was no possible way that Evie and Viren were both telling the truth. Even if Evie couldn’t speak Claudia could understand her body language, and the little snake sprite was very good at charades. Viren’s claims that he couldn’t complete the spell didn’t fall in line with his earlier boast that he found a solution to their dragon problem.

If her father was innocent then she would readily face the consequences later, but right now she couldn’t leave anything to chance, not while lives were on the line. Also, she had to know what happened to her babies, the babies Viren was never too fond of to begin with.

“It’s none lethal and will only last for a few minutes so I suggest you start talking,” Claudia ordered.

“I...” Viren tried to fight the urge to speak but the potion was already working. He couldn’t lie, even if he wanted to. “I...” Viren coughed, leaning against his desk. Even if the potion wasn’t lethal it was still very strong. Too strong for his stubborn nature to resist.

“I... did... it.” Viren struggled to keep his voice in a whisper for as long as he could until his will finally gave in. “I did it! I used your snake sprites to complete the spell! I had to do it, it was the only way to protect us from the dragons!”

Claudia’s feet froze to the floor at her father’s confession. She didn’t want to believe it but the  potion didn’t lie. Her father... killed her babies and he lied about it. Her own father... lied to her.

Evie flew towards Viren’s cabinet, revealing more of the same green sphere with the onyx crystals inside. Claudia approached the spheres, inside the crystals she could still make out the shapes of the creatures used to make them. A fire-lizard, a harpy’s egg, a mermaid’s heart, an ice-pixie, and finally... a snake sprite.

In her blind rage, Claudia grabbed  one and threw it to the floor where it shattered and crumbled to dust.

“No!” Viren shouted. Without a target, the orb had no purpose and merely disintegrated. She just wasted a perfectly good one.

“You lied to me...” Claudia hissed like a venomous cobra as she turned to face people her father. “ _How could you!_ ”

“You shouldn’t be so quick to judge,” Viren said as he got up, still gripping his throat. The potion was still working. “After all, you were the one who gave me the basilisk venom to wrap it up. The spell needed raw magic from the five primal sources and basilisk venom to finalize the petrifaction process.”

Claudia gasped. She gave him that venom, which means she played a part in this.

“Don’t you see, Claudia? I’m doing this to protect us. The dragons are coming to destroy us unless we destroy them first!” Viren’s pupils were shrinking from mad rage as the whole truth, everything he held in his heavy heart was being laid out on the table. “I don’t care that I used your snake sprites, you should have done that a long time ago! You’re becoming just like Harrow; soft-hearted, and weak! He refused to listen to my ideas but I will make him see that I am right! I will show Harrow, and you, and everyone else that humanity is the dominant race  and that the time the dragons should have ended eons ago!”

Claudia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This man was not the father she loved and revered. This man lied to his own daughter and killed her best friends. But more than that, Claudia could see the fear in his eyes, his paranoia that was slowly eating him up from the inside.

“Dad, I understand. I know you only want to do what’s best for everyone, but I don’t think lying and—“

“You’re supposed to be on  my side!” Viren couldn’t fight it. The potion was too strong, he couldn’t resist saying everything he was too afraid or ashamed to admit. “But instead you listen to that air-headed street urchin and that spoiled step-runt instead of your own father! Why can’t you just do as I  say, like you always have! Why won’t you obey me!”

Was she hearing him right? Was this how Viren viewed her? Just an obedient child who followed him without question? Without ever giving her the choice to make up her own mind?

Suddenly, her mother’s decision all those years ago was finally starting to make sense. For years, Claudia resented her mother for making her and Soren choose between their parents. Claudia believed it was selfish, but the opposite was true. Their mother gave them the freedom to choose who they would live with rather than force the decision upon them and even though their answer was painful she still respected it and never truly abandoned them. She always promised she would come back, but the illness stopped her.

Viren... never gave them that choice. He always wanted everyone to be on  _his_ side, to do things  _his_ way and he would antagonize anyone who disagreed with him. The veil Claudia had willingly worn over her eyes was finally ripped off. She could now see her father for the man he really was.   


“Is that what you think of me? I am not some trained dog, I am your daughter!”

“And as my daughter, I know what’s best for you! I have the power to destroy those dragons and I am going to use it. It’s the only way for humanity to flourish and prosper.”

“Even if you have to lie to everyone? To me and Soren? What if I don’t want to be a part of this?”

“Then leave me just like your ungrateful mother!”

Viren could feel the effects of the potion dwindling. He couldn’t take back what he had said. It was all out in the open, his deepest, darkest self was revealed to his daughter at long last. The High Mage could only imagine what Claudia could be thinking about him right now.

“Claudia, I... I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to come to this.” Even with the potion wearing off, Viren really did mean those words. “But those snake sprites died for the greater good. I know what I did seems cruel, but we need to be willing to sacrifice anything, even the things we love. I would have given my life if it came to it.”

He assumed this would be enough to prove to Claudia that he was being sincere, but to his disappointment, it didn’t. Claudia didn’t doubt her father’s intentions, he really did want to believe that what he was doing was right, there was no debating that, but his methods… his  selfish, stubborn and cold-hearted methods would only bring more problems than solve them. His pride and fear of the future was shaping him into the very opposite of what he claimed to be.

Viren approached his daughter, ignoring the hissing of the snake sprite, as he reached to cup her face with his hand. “Claudia, please understand...”

Claudia grabbed his wrist and pushed him away, not making eye contact. “I do understand. You’re willing to sacrifice everything for humanity...including your own soul. I’m sorry Dad, but I can’t be a part of this anymore.”

“Claudia, don’t do this to me. Don’t leave me too.” Viren sounded desperate, even more terrified than before. Claudia could feel her heart cracking and she was almost tempted to push all of this behind her and go back to her father. But after tonight, there was no going back. Claudia made a choice once, now it was Viren’s turn.

“Then make it right, Dad. Listen to someone else for once in your life. I’m willing to forgive you if you would just—“

“Just what? Quit dark magic? Give up years and years of hard work because it makes you feel uncomfortable?” Viren’s earlier remorse was instantly overshadowed by frustration. This was almost the same argument he had with Rebecca years ago. She refused to accept him as he was so she left, it was only by luck and persuasion that he managed to keep his children with him, but now his own daughter, his protege, was threatening to leave him too unless he changed.

In reality, Claudia was about to say that if only Viren would stop trying to prove he was always right and took the time to listen to other alternatives like Harrow had been suggesting for years, then maybe they could find another way to solve all of this. But no, Viren immediately turned the conversation on its head to make him seem like the victim while everyone else was being unfair.

“That’s what you want, isn’t it? That’s exactly what your mother wanted, it’s what Harrow wants, it’s what everybody else wants, and yet you conveniently forget everything I have done for this kingdom!”

“No, Dad, you’re not listening!”

“I’m done listening!” Viren reached for his pouch and pulled out a mummified sphinx paw. He whispered an incantation and a green mist sprouted from the claw and seeped into Claudia’s mouth. The mist pulled out a glowing orb from her throat and into the waiting sphinx paw  while Viren’s eyes returned to normal.

Claudia tried to scream but all that came out was a gasping, wheezing sound. She knew this spell, her father taught it to her but she never thought they would ever actually use it. It was a silencing spell, meant to remove one’s voice. The sensation was like swallowing the remains of a dead animal as it seeped down her throat and yanked out her voice. Having a piece of her pulled away by force was the most horrific sensation Claudia had ever experienced.

All the wonder and majesty that came with dark magic was now completely lost to her. This wasn't wondrous, or spectacular, this was twisted, disgusting, and cruel. Now she knew why Callum and Rayla hated it so much, and after today... Claudia was beginning to hate it too.

While in her state of shock, Viren grabbed his daughter by the arm and dragged her to a nearby closet, throwing her inside. Evie tried biting Viren, but he grabbed her in mid-air and threw her at Claudia. The snake sprite landed on the mage’s stomach and Viren quickly closed the door before she could get up.

“I’m sorry, Claudia. I truly am.” Viren said as he locked the door and turned his face away from it in shame. He gathered up the rest of the orbs and a vial of something from his drawer and stuffed it into his pocket.

“You will understand. I promise.” He could hear his daughter’s rebellious wheezing from the other side of the door, her fists pounding against the door in a flurry of rage like an imprisoned animal. Viren ignored it and walked out. Viren hated himself for doing this, he really did, but Claudia wasn’t thinking clearly. Once she saw for herself that his plan had succeeded then she would realize her mistake and join him again.

He couldn’t lose her too.

Claudia punched the door, angrily wheezing and gasping. No words came out. She fell to her knees, the reality of her father’s true nature weighted on her body and she almost couldn’t move. Her own father had, literally, rendered her speechless.... something he had been doing for years, and she was too naive to realize it.

She pounded the door once more, splinters jabbing into her skin but she didn’t care. If Viren went through with this plan of his there was no telling where this usage of dark magic would lead them.

Killing the magma titan resulted in the end of a drought, but it came with the death of Sarai. The death of the dragon king avenged the queen, and now they were coming for the king. If they petrify the dragons, who knows what the creatures of Xadia will do to avenge them.

Callum and Rayla were right. This cycle was never going to end unless they were brave enough to break the chain.

Evie flew into Claudia’s bag, taking out a couple of vials. Claudia smiled. Evie was such a little genius!

The mage mixed the liquids together before throwing it at the door. A tiny explosion went off and the doors shattered, pieces of wood flew in all directions, creating an even bigger mess. Once out Claudia spotted a letter with the Katolis seal on the floor. She carefully peeled back the rolled-up paper, and with one eye open, she read the words inside. She saw Callum’s name, and it was done in Harrow’s handwriting. This letter was meant for Callum, which meant he was here, which could explain the broken door.

But, what did her father do to him? Was Callum with Ezran and Rayla? Claudia also noticed the giant painting pushed slightly to the side. She always felt it was an odd design choice.

Maybe... too odd.

On the side of the painting she saw a strange orange set of fingerprints. She scooped a bit with her finger and tasted it. She immediately regretted that decision. Persimmon Jelly.

While it was her least favorite flavor, it was Ezran’s, and from the way the prints were positioned it looked as if Ezran went behind the painting.

Claudia pulled the painting and it flew open like a large door. Behind it was a secret entrance to a tunnel. Yet another one of her father’s many secrets. With Evie by her side, Claudia descended down the stairs with her Glow Stick illuminating the way.

(~)

“Rayla! Rayla, wake up!” Callum shouted, but no matter what he did Rayla wouldn’t wake up. As she slumbered her face was strained, brows twitching together and lips quivering as more scales appeared on her now pinkish colored skin. Her white hair sparkled like stardust, and though it was beautiful, it was tarnished by the slumbering girl’s anguished expression. She looked like she was having a nightmare.

“What’s wrong with her?” Callum looked up at Nyx, the dragon stood there looking lost. Her eyes shifted from the two princes beside Rayla to the glowing item she dropped when she fainted. Ezran curiously reached for it.

“Don’t touch it!” Nyx shouted, holding her hands up to stop the young prince who was already being pulled back by his brother.

“What is it?” Ezran asked.

“The most precious thing in all of Xadia,” Nyx said with an awestruck look in her eyes. Before  Nyx could explain further the sound of a whip cracking made her jump in alert. The dragon growled at the intruder; a young woman with raven hair and dark clothing holding a green-colored whip. A snake sprite was perched securely on her shoulders.

“Claudia!” Callum called out, but Nyx jumped in between her and the others, spreading out her wings and scratching the air with her claws.

The human swung her whip at the dragon again, when she noticed her two-colored eyes she pieced together that this had to be the same dragon who attacked Soren, and now she was here for the princes and Rayla, who lay unconscious on the floor.

Thinking the worst, Claudia readied to attack the dragon until Ezran bravely jumped between them and spread out his arms. “Stop! You don’t have to fight, we’re both on the same side here.”

“Ez is right,” Callum said, looking at Nyx who slowly closed her wings. “You know more about what’s going on than we do, and you clearly know something about Rayla.”

Claudia looked confused, but sadly she couldn’t ask any questions given her current situation.

“You really don’t know who she is, do you?” Nyx said as she slowly lowered her weapon, seeing the care and worry this boy felt for the other. “Fine. But only if that mage swears not to do any magic and we can talk somewhere else. The smell of this place is driving me insane.”

The others nodded, even Claudia. She still had no idea what was going on, but she would much rather trust Callum and Ezran than her own father. This underground lab was clearly his doing. At least it explained where he got the ingredients for the petrifying spell.

“Follow me,” Ezran took the lead while Callum and Claudia carried a sleeping Rayla out of the room. Nyx stopped in front of the glowing heart and quickly put it back inside the box before following the others.

(~)  


Soren was tense as he stood in front of the king’s bedroom. The dragons hadn’t shown up yet and he prayed to the heavens that they wouldn’t. He shouldn’t be so afraid of these monsters, and yet he was. No matter, if they dared to cross him and his  men, Soren would channel that fear into rage and slay those overgrown lizards in a snap. He would not fail again.

He wasn’t expecting to see his father, holding a tray with twin silver chalice cups encrusted with rubies. “Thanks, dad, but I’m a little too old for milk and cookies.” Soren joked, hoping to lighten the mood. As usual, his father wasn’t amused.

“It’s not for you, it’s for the king,” Viren said. He didn’t even need to try and feign concern or fear of losing his friend, because contrary to what Claudia may now think of him, those feelings of potential loss were all too real.

Soren was aware of the argument Harrow and Viren had, having heard about it from one of his fellow guards, and the last thing he wanted tonight was to hear another fight. Heaven knows Soren had enough of those growing up, and the king was supposed to be his father’s best friend.

“Are you sure now’s the best time?” Soren asked. He flinched when his father clasped his shoulder, staring at his son with pleading eyes.

“I am prepared to do anything to protect the king. Anything,” Viren could not empathize that last part enough, “I hope you will understand.”

Of course, Soren understood, he was the crown guard, he swore an oath to protect the king, to protect all of Katolis. His father was only looking after their best interests. With a nod he allowed his father to enter the king’s chambers.

(~)

As they walked through the tunnels, being led by Ezran and Bait, who lit the way with his illuminating glow. Callum and Claudia had Rayla’s arms draped over their shoulders but when she began to stir they gently leant her against the wall. Bait jumped from Ezran’s arms and hurried to Rayla’s side, croaking with worry. Nyx kept a respectable distance, holding the box in her hands as she waited for the girl to wake up.

Finally Rayla rubbed her head and cringed in pain. Her brain felt like it was about to burst out of her skull. Once her vision cleared the first thing she saw was Bait’s soothing flow, followed by Ezran’s sweet face, Callum’s beautiful green eyes, and finally Claudia’s relieved smile. Little Evie nuzzled Rayla’s cheek.

“Are you okay?” Callum asked, holding her hand while tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He couldn’t tell if she looked pale or if the light was making her skin shinier.

“I think so.” Rayla rubbed her eyes and looked down at her hands, pulling back her sleeves to see more sparkly blue scales spreading across her skin. She then gasped and started patting the floor, searching for something.

“Where is it? Where is the—“

“Right here,” Nyx got down on one knee, bowed her head, and extended the box to Rayla. “It’s safe, Your Highness.”

Rayla quickly got up and grabbed the box. “Thank you. You did well, Nyx.”

“You remember me!” The SkyWing smiled.

“I’m starting to. Though, I wonder how  anyone  could forget  you .”

“Ah, there’s that snarky attitude.”

Rayla began to slowly open the lid. “Rayla, be careful!” Callum warned as he too got up, ready to catch her again if something happened.

“It’s alright, Callum. There’s no need to be afraid.” Rayla said softly, opening the box, not needing the key this time, and allowed the others to get a proper look at what was inside. Claudia was awestruck, it was like staring at a living star.

“What is that?” Callum asked.

“The heart of a Tuatha De Dannan,” Rayla replied. Callum, Ezran, and Claudia couldn’t believe what they just heard. This glowing treasure wasn’t any ordinary object, they couldn’t even refer to it as an object. It was a heart. The heart of a celestial dragon, beating as though it were still inside its owner’s body.

“A dragon heart,” Callum said breathlessly.

“Not just any dragon,” Rayla said, crestfallen, “... the Dragon King’s.”

Callum stepped back in shock. “The Dragon King?  The Dragon King? Th—that’s his heart?” He said, pointing his trembling finger at the box, “His real...  _beating_ heart?”   


“Oh, like human hearts look any better when they’re outside the body?” Rayla said with her signature snark.

“No, I mean,  _how_ is it still beating? How did—Wait, how did you know...” Callum’s eyes widened. One by one, all the pieces came together. The heart, the SkyWing recognizing her, shapeshifting dragons, the scales and white hair... the reports of a dragon sighting from when they first found Rayla, her lost memories, the lack of any evidence of her family ever-existing, her pendant... the stars...

“Rayla... are you...?” He started then stopped, not sure how to say it.

Rayla turned away, sucking in her lips and closing her eyes in an effort to fight back the tears. When she wouldn’t speak, Nyx did so for her.

“Humans, you are in the presence of Princess Rhiannon; Daughter of King Lain and Queen Tiadrin of the Tuatha De Dannan clan, and heir to the throne of Xadia.”

Callum was stunned while Bait, Ezran, and Claudia’s jaws dropped. Even Evie’s.

“Whoa...” was all Ezran could muster, while Claudia had to literally slap her own face just to wake herself up from her paralyzed state. Callum however found that somehow this made a lot of sense. It explained why they could never find any trace of her real family, why she had such a high tolerance for pain and was so fast, why she and Viren never got along... oh this... this changed everything.

Callum was the first to break the awkward silence that cloaked the large stone tunnels. “You’re... a dragon?”

Rayla sniffed and inhaled sharply. “Callum, I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen but, I swear, nothing I told you was a lie. And this doesn’t change how I feel. I still love you and your family. I don’t want anything to happen to any of you. Please believe me.” Rayla begged, tears streaming from her eyes.

Once she had no memories of her past and now she had two completely different lives battling for dominance in her mind. The past was still blurry but it was starting to come back bit by bit. She was Rhiannon, but she was also Rayla. She was a princess but also King Harrow’s ward. She was a dragon but also a human.

As confused as she was there was one thing she was completely sure of: She loved Callum, probably more now than she ever had. She loved him more than words could express and the thought of losing him was as painful as if it were her own heart had been ripped out. She anxiously waited for his reply. He was in shock, but she saw no anger or resentment, though she wasn’t sure if she saw the peace of acceptance either.

“So, that heart,” Callum looked down at the box in her hands. “Is your father’s?”

Rayla nodded. “Yes.”

Her father. The father who killed his mother, and who his step-father also killed. The dragon Callum both resented and admired in such a conflicting way it made his heartache. But what hurt most was that now Rayla was remembering who she was... and the first thing she had to remember was that her father was dead, his heart ripped out and kept underneath the castle the entire time no doubt to be used for Viren’s dark magic.

As Callum looked into Rayla’s tear-filled eyes, he didn’t see a monster or an enemy. All he saw was the woman he loved. Rayla wasn’t responsible for her father’s actions any more than he was responsible for Harrow’s. He refused to allow their family’s bad blood come between them. If they had any hope of ending this cycle of death and violence, they had to start here.

Callum cupped Rayla’s cheek with his hand and wiped the tear with his thumb then smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. Ezran and Bait gave a ‘aww’ at the scene, the glow toad turning a bashful pink. Claudia draped her hands over her heart, glad to see that even after learning about what she really was, Callum still loved her all the same. It was both tragic and incredibly romantic.

Nyx, on the other hand, shuddered in disgust. It was bad enough to learn that the princess had been living with humans as one of them, but to actually be in a relationship with one? A dragon and a human, the very idea.

When the kiss ended, Callum rested his forehead against hers. “I do believe you. And I don’t blame you for any of this. I still love you. I’m just... so sorry for...” Callum held her hands, which still held the box with her father’s heart inside it.

“I know,” Rayla sobbed. Ezran walked up to the two and he hugged Rayla’s waist and she held the little prince close, finding comfort in his embrace.

Claudia tried to give her condolences but once she tried, she was reminded, yet again, that she still couldn’t speak. “Claudia, what happened?” Rayla asked when she heard her friend wheezing in an effort to talk.

Claudia tried to communicate the only way she knew how: Through charades.

She started acting out everything that happened in the past few hours. She acted out an angry man with a cane—her father—then tried mimicking a ghost, followed by a slithering snake with her hands, then place her hands on her head to make it look like a crown, pretended like she was throwing something, flapped her wings again while snapping her teeth like an alligator, then froze in place with a horrified look before finalizing it all by gripping her throat looking like she was suffocating. Once she was done she wiped the sweat from her brow.

Rayla, Callum, and Ezran gasped. “Viren killed Evie’s siblings to make a petrifying spell to use on the dragons?!” Rayla said.

“But when you found out he stole your voice and locked you in a closet?!” Ezran said.

“And he’s still going through with it behind the king’s back?!” Callum said.

Claudia tapped her nose, pointing at them with her finger and then at herself back and forth a couple of times.

“How did you understand all of that?” Nyx said.

“We’re fluent in Claudish,” Callum replied, and Claudia gave the dragon a haughty wave. Only true friends could understand her eccentric ways.

“Claudia, I’m so sorry!” Rayla couldn’t believe Viren would do this to his own daughter. She always suspected he was a hard-hearted man, but she never doubted that he loved his daughter. Realizing the lengths he would go just to have his way was both enraging as well as heartbreaking.

“But there’s no way Dad would let Viren do this, right?” Ezran said, looking to Callum for reassurance.

“I don’t think he’s going to let that stop him. We have to warn the king.”

“Not so fast, lover boy.” Nyx interjected, “As bad as this Viren guy sounds we’ve got bigger problems. Big, fire-breathing problems to be exact.”

Rayla’s eyes widened. “The assassins.”

“They’re coming to avenge you and your father. When you disappeared everyone assumed you were dead.”

“How much longer until they arrive?” Rayla asked.

“If I’m right, and I usually am, they’ve already infiltrated the castle.”

“What about Viren?” Callum asked.

“We’ll deal with him after we deal with the dragons,” Rayla said.

“Let’s head to the roof, that’s their meeting point,” Nyx said.

“Follow me,” said Ezran, and the group followed him down the tunnel.

(~)

Harrow hid the picture he was looking at when Viren entered his chambers. He regretted having raised his voice at his old friend, but as time went on Harrow started to wonder if his friend was even still in there. While Harrow grew from the experience, gaining a thicker skin but maintaining the same softness underneath the shell, Viren tried to eradicate most of his vulnerability, believing having a harder shell was what gave someone the strength and will to shape history and a lot of time he was proven right.

Much of Viren’s success was owed to Harrow, who gave Viren the freedom to openly speak his opinion, but perhaps Harrow had given him too much freedom and out of his own insecurity and almost blind trust in his intelligent friend, Harrow allowed Viren to make choices he himself would have made differently.

“I’ve given thought to what you said,” Viren said as he entered the room, putting the silver tray on the nightstand and taking both cups in his hands.

“Have you?” Harrow got up from his bed and sat on his chair to sharpen his sword. “I’m not really in a drinking mood.”

“Please, if this is to be your last night on earth let’s not spend it arguing.”

“Very well. Go on.” Harrow positioned his sword downwards, the tip striking the floor. Viren sighed and sat on the bed with both cups in hand.

“You are my king, but you’re also my friend.”

“Your friend, eh?” Harrow said, looking a bit suspicious. Something didn’t feel right but Viren seemed genuine in his words. Maybe he should hear him out instead of assuming the worst. He shouldn’t let his guilt make him say words he would soon regret.

“Yes. Right now, I do not come to you as my king, I think of you... as my brother.” Viren smiled a real, truthful smile. The words he spoke came from his heart. He truly loved Harrow like the brother Viren was never fortunate to have. They had crossed mountains and built an entire empire together. While yes, Harrow could be too soft-hearted for his own good, Viren only wanted what was best for him, what was best for Katolis. If only he would see that. What he was about to do was for the good of the kingdom, and sometimes an act of love required tough actions. Harrow would thank him for this later. Maybe not tonight, or tomorrow, but down the line once he saw the benefits of this decision.

“I see,” Harrow turned away. Viren was always a brother to him, he requested that he stood beside him for his coronation portrait because he always knew Viren would always be by his side. A part of Harrow wanted to believe that Viren was still the man he knew all those years ago. But right now, after everything, how could he trust him to make the decisions that would only keep this circular war going? How much longer would it last? Another decade or two? Possibly even a new century.

“Which is why I wanted to apologize for the way I acted.”

This caught Harrow off guard. “Apologize?”

“I was blinded by the love of our kingdom, and maybe even by the fear of losing you and anyone else I care about that I took drastic measures.”

“This is very unlike you, Viren.” Harrow narrowed his eyes.

“I know. But... I don’t know what’s going to happen and I don’t even know if the spell will even work properly. Dragons are the most powerful creatures in the world and there’s no telling how the spell will affect them. I might as well be shooting an arrow into a void and hope it hits something. But, if this is to be your final hours, then... I will honor you by obeying your final command as king. Though, I do hope it won’t be the last time.”

Viren offered Harrow his chalice. The king’s throat was dry and the stress of the evening was weighing heavily on him. He would need his strength for when the moment of truth arrived.

Harrow accepted the cup and chugged the red liquid down in one swoop. The liquid was refreshing as it went down his throat, he could feel his body relaxing already.

“Viren, I don’t know for sure what will happen, but whatever does happen... and if my kids take the throne in my place, I expect you to honor them. They may be young, but they have more strength and courage than any experienced knight. I trust the future of Katolis to them.”

Viren took a moment then nodded once. “I understand... My king.”

(~)

By the time the group reached the roof, the sun had long since set, which meant the dragons weren’t too far behind. Nyx had the others hide behind three wooden crates, holding her finger to her lips to remind them to keep quiet until she gave the command.

Nyx stepped out of their hiding spot and strolled across the roof all causal-like, her tail swishing back and forth as she whistled. Callum gave Rayla a questionable look, to which she just shrugged in reply. She was starting to remember the cheeky SkyWing’s care-free nature and just how annoying it could be. Though for Nyx, she liked to think of it as a charming quirk she had.

“I know you’re there. You can’t ignore me forever. Believe me, many have tried.”

A white butterfly fluttered down before her before suddenly changing into Siveth. “I thought I told you to leave.”

“You know me, I was never good with authority.” Nyx winked, which just made Siveth even more annoyed at the SkyWing’s impudence.

“I spared you once, do not make me regret it.”

“That’s implying you regretted it, to begin with.” Nyx chuckled but quickly backed down when Siveth growled, exposing her razor-sharp claws. “Okay, easy. Before you chop my head off, I found something I‘m sure will change your tune.”

“I’m not interested in your stolen trinkets,” Siveth growled.

“Good, because I didn’t steal it this time.” Nyx looked behind her shoulder and clicked her tongue against her teeth. From behind the crate, Rayla stepped out into the full moonlight, making her now silver hair shine like a beacon. Siveth claws retracted, her slit pupils dilated, making her resemble a curious little kitten staring at a dangling object. She took a cautious step towards the girl, her tail dragging behind her like the trails of a dress. “It... it can’t be. If this is a trick—“

“No, no tricks,” Rayla said as she walked closer to the dragon. Her eyes were the same color as her own, lilac which sparkled like the edges of her star stone pendant. Rayla held the stone in her hand, allowing the moonlight to shine upon its surface.

“Aunt Siveth, it’s me.”

Siveth gasped, “Rhiannon!”

Rayla found the strength in her legs to move again and ran into the dragon’s waiting arms. Siveth fell to her knees as she held the girl in a strong grip that would have crushed any ordinary human being, but not Rayla. The inhuman strength of her hug felt familiar, normal and safe.

She remembered hearing her humming her father’s lullaby when he was away. She remembered the feel of her wings wrapping around her like a protective shield and the calming way she would stroke Rayla’s hair when she was young and frightened.

She remembered. She finally remembered.

Callum, Ezran, and Claudia watched the scene from behind the crates. Tears swelled in Bait’s eyes at the reunion. Callum smiled as Rayla was enveloped in the dragon’s hug, realising this dragon was her aunt. After questioning her identity and heritage for months, Rayla finally found her family. He just never imagined her family would be dragons. And not just any dragons, but the Tuatha De Dannan. The sixth primal source of magic that linked all the others. He always knew she was incredible, but this just took the cake.

“I’ve missed you,” Rayla sobbed into Siveth’s shoulder.

Siveth held her niece's face in her hands. “How is this possible?”

“I’ll explain everything, I promise, but you need to leave, right now.”

“What?” Siveth stood up, her posture on guard. “Why? What’s happening?”

Rayla stood up as well and took a deep breath. Siveth was not going to like hearing this, but if Rayla had any chance of saving Harrow and all of Katolis she had to try and sway her aunt and the other dragons into leaving if only to spare them from Viren’s dark magic.

“Listen to me. The high mage has created a spell that could destroy all of us. You need to leave before—“

“One dark mage doesn’t frighten me,” Siveth replied in that fierce tone Rayla immediately recognized. “You may be alive but the humans must pay for what they did to our people. King Harrow must pay.”

“No! There’s no need for vengeance tonight.” Rayla swallowed before responding. “I... already took care of the king.”

Callum and Ezran gasped from behind the crates, Claudia quickly covered their mouths. Siveth narrowed her eyes, her dilated pupils changing back into slits. “You’re lying.” Rayla froze, “If he were dead I would smell remains of his blood on you.” Her eyes widened with shock as the realization struck her. Anger sprouted within her like a seedling. “You’re trying to protect him.”

“Aunt Siveth,”

Siveth studied her niece. She had the scales and silvery hair that was hereditary to all Tuatha De Dannan, but despite that, she looked more human than dragon. Her ears were small and round, her nails clipped and polished like those of a wealthy noblewoman from the human kingdoms, even her clothing was made of the most expensive silk made by humans. How long had she been in her human form? If she had been alive this entire time why didn’t she return home?

“What have those humans done to you? How do I know their high made didn’t cast a spell on you too?”

“Listen to me, I was hurt and I lost my memories but the humans found me and kept me safe. They were only trying to help me, they’re my friends now.”

“No! Humans are liars. You’ve been deceived, Rhiannon.”

“No she hasn’t.” Callum called out as he broke free of Claudia’s grip and stepped out from behind the cate. “What she’s telling you is true.”

“Callum don’t,” Rayla pleaded, but from the look in his eyes she knew the stubborn prince had already made up his mind.

“You’ve made a terrible mistake, boy.” Siveth snarled, talons ready to strike.

“This is not going as well as I hoped.” Nyx said, leaning into Callum’s ear and speaking from the corner of her mouth which was formed into an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry for what the humans did to the dragon king,” Callum spoke,tapping into his inner royal by keeping his voice leveled and controlled to make the dragon listen. “But he’s not entirely gone.”

“Now you dishonor the legacy of our king. Haven’t you done enough damage to the world already?” Siveth growled again, flashing her sharp molars.

Callum just turned his head slightly to the side, keeping his eyes on the dragoness.“Ez, Claudia, show her.”

Claudia protectively held Ezran’s shoulders as the young prince held the box from Viren’s underground lab then opened it to reveal the glowing heart. Siveth’s eyes reverted to normal when she gazed upon it and her lips quivered. She could feel the dragon king’s spirit as though he was right beside her. “Brother?” She whispered.

“You knew my father as well as I did. He wouldn’t want us to avenge him this way. You have to call off the attack.” said Rayla.

“Rhiannon, it’s not that simple. I am under orders from your mother. She demands justice for our family, and so do I.”

“Aunt Siveth, please! This is a miracle! A chance for peace.”

“Humans struck down the king of Xadia! Justice will not be denied.” Siveth extended her hand to her niece, “Give me the heart!”

Rayla took a defiant stance and stepped back a little. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Not until you call off the attack.”

“We are not discussing this, Rhiannon. Come here,  now. ”

A snarl escaped Rayla’s throat, her pupils became slits and her nails grew, becoming claws similar to Siveth’s. Nyx held her back by the shoulder. “No, princess. I’ll deal with her.” Nyx pushed Rayla back towards the others, pushing her backwards into Callum’s arms.

“Nyx! What are you doing?”

“Keep the heart safe.”

Callum, Ezran and Claudia pulled Rayla back before she could protest any further and they ran from the roof towards the stairs.

“Rhiannon, come back!” Siveth called out as she watched her niece run away was just as heartbreaking the second time. So she redirected her anger at the SkyWing. “You don’t want to do this. I am stronger than you will ever be.”

“Most likely, but I love a challenge.” Nyx winked and shifted into a hawk, at the same time Siveth did and the two charged, talon against talon.

(~)

Rayla didn’t want to run. It felt like such a cowardly thing to do, but she was no match for her aunt right now. The last thing she wanted was to fight her but she refused to listen. Rayla was trying to save her, to spare everyone from a gruesome fate. If she couldn’t warn Siveth, maybe she could  warn Harrow. She took a quick glance at the scales on the back of her hand and tried pulling her sleeve over them to no avail. She tried commanding the scales to dissolve into her skin but they refused to obey. She couldn’t shift back into her human form.

The group reached the courtyard, where Callum hid his backpack inside a stack of hay spread out on a wheelbarrow. “You need to stay here, hidden.” Callum hoisted his little brother and Bait inside the hay. “Keep the heart safe. We’ll go talk with Dad,”

“No.” Rayla spoke. “You and Claudia go, I’ll stay here with Ezran.”

“What? Why?”

“Look at me, Callum!” Rayla waved her scaly hands in front of his face. “Once Viren sees me he’ll use the petrifying spell and unleash it on the others.”

“Not if we tell Harrow,” Callum held her hands, unfazed by how rough they felt against his fingers. “He’ll believe us, he’ll protect you.”

Rayla shook her head in defiance, “We don’t have time to argue. Just go!” Rayla pulled away from Callum. He was about to say something but Claudia tugged on his shirt and pointed to the tower. Rayla was right, they were running out of time.

“We’ll be right back.” Callum promised and he and Claudia ran inside. Once they were gone, Ezran poked out from the patch of hay with Bait hitching a ride on the prince’s head.

“Rayla, why won’t you let Dad see you?”

“Because...” Rayla paused. Ezran was a smart ten-year-old child, smarter than most adults gave him credit for. He had learnt long ago the story of what happened to his mother, not giving Callum a moment’s rest until he told him. Even then, Ezran was surprisingly very mature about it. He understood the circumstances but also that his father felt terrible for what had happened, and that his mother’s death was the fault of the war bringing out the worst in people, not just one person’s fault. She often wondered if this came from him reading a lot of books about heroes and villains, or simply his youthful innocence and wanting to see the good in everyone.

“Because even if he did accept me, I don’t know what he will do when he finds out  who I am.”

“I don’t think he would blame you for what happened.” Ezran said. “He loves you no matter what, and you love him too, right?”

“Of course I do.” Rayla said, and she meant it. She loved Harrow in spite of what he did. It was so unheard of, to grow so close to a man who literally shattered her world when he killed her father. Rayla remembered the hatred she felt when she learned what had happened, which was another reason why she couldn’t see Harrow. She could feel her draconic side slowly awakening from its long slumber, and that part of her was still angry. It was probably best for both of them if she didn’t see him right now.

(~)

Callum pushed past a guard as he reached for the king’s bedroom doors but then Soren blocked his path. “Whoa, slow down there, Step-prince. The king is pretty busy right now trying to, you know, not die and stuff.”

“Not now, Soren!” Callum pushed past the blond knight but stopped when Viren stepped out of the room. Callum gasped when he saw the mage’s eyes change from pitch black to their normal cloudy gray and when Viren saw Claudia, his composure faltered. His daughter and the prince shared the same dirty looks. The prince’s expression Viren could handle, but coming from his own daughter too?

She chose him once before, but now she had chosen something else. She had chosen wrong and soon she would realize that.

(~)

Siveth was right, Nyx was not cut out to be a warrior. She didn’t know what she was thinking, going claw-to-claw with the strongest Tuatha De Dannan warrior in all of Xadia. To think, she was doing this all for the princess and her friends, which Nyx didn’t even care about. Many would say Nyx was a lot of things but never abandoned someone that didn’t abandon her.

The two fought above the roof in their respected bird forms, the nearby guards paying no minds to the two squabbling falcons. Siveth lunged at Nyx, pinning her against the cobblestone wall with her talons. “Why are you protecting the humans? Have you gone mad?”

“Probably,” Nyx grunted as she poured all of her physical strength into pushing Siveth off of her. “About as mad as your princess, I gather.”

“You will pay for your treachery.” Nyx was pushed further against the wall, Siveth’s claw on her throat.

The other flapped her wings, creating a gust of wind strong enough to blast Siveth off of her and one free, she coughed and flew away, Siveth followed, trying to snatch her in mid air with her talons. Siveth finally caught up and grabbed Nyx by the wings, throwing her against the ground below. The older dragon cawed with her wings spread out, her feathers sparkled like there were tiny bits of diamonds on her wings which shimmered in the moonlight.

“You saw her with your own eyes,” Nyx grunted as she pushed herself up. “She doesn’t want to fight them.”

“Rhiannon has been polluted by the human world. I will make sure that she sees reason.” Siveth noticed Nyx’s eyes shift towards the tower behind her. Siveth looked up, her avian eyes allowing her to see the shadows of the guards patrolling up and down the stairs through the windows.

“You’re just trying to stall me.”

“Interesting theory,” Nyx flapped her wings, grimacing at the pain, and tried to act all playful. “Care to discuss?”

“I should have known better than to waste my time with you.” Siveth spread her wings and flew towards the tower.

“No, wait! Ouch!” Nyx shouted but Siveth ignored her as she flew off. “Worst. Night. Ever.”

(~)

“ You two shouldn’t be here.” Viren said. Claudia wheezed, trying to scream and yell at her father to no avail.

Evie lunged at Viren, spinning around him until she snatched his pouch. Viren tried grabbing the creature but she slipped from his fingers and Evie dropped the pouch in Claudia’s hands who quickly pulled out the sphinx paw. The claws opened and the yellow orb that was her voice flew out and back into her mouth. Claudia gripped her throat, coughing and sticking out her tongue, still able to taste the dead cat carcass.

“That. Was. Terrible!” Claudia turned her gaze to her father who looked fearful at finally being caught. She was now officially, one hundred percent,  _done_ with dark magic!

“What’s going on?” Soren asked, looking completely lost from watching them

“Go ahead, Dad.” Claudia threw the pouch at Viren’s chest. “Tell Soren all about how you’ve been lying to the king, or how you ripped out my voice and locked me in a closet. No, wait, let’s start with the secret underground bunker where you’ve been keeping a secret stash of fae corpses and the heart of the dragon king!”

“What are you talking about?” Soren asked, completely lost as to what in the human kingdoms was going on.

“We know what you did.” Callum said, glaring at the mage. He didn’t care if Viren had magic, he didn’t care that he was older and had more power than a small prince like himself. Any speck of possible respect he may have had for the mage was now completely disintegrated. Viren was a liar, a manipulator, and a traitor.

“You stole the heart of the dragon king. We found it and we’re keeping it safe.”

“We?” Viren repeated.

“The king will have you in shackles when he finds out about this.”

“What makes you think he doesn’t already know?”

“He doesn’t,” Claudia shouted at her father then turned to her brother, “Soren, I know this isn’t easy to hear but you have to believe us.”

Soren was still confused, but more than that he was scared. Claudia never got this angry with their father, ever. That was like her number one rule: never make dad upset. Why would their father steal her voice to keep her quiet? And did she say he locked her in a closet? Why would he do that? And what was all of this about a dragon’s heart?

“Soren, restrain your sister.” Viren ordered.

“But, Dad I—“

“Do it!”

Soren hesitated then stepped back, refusing. He couldn’t arrest his own sister. However, when Soren didn’t obey, the rest of the guards did the job for him.

“Let her go!” Callum commanded.

“Grab him as well.” Viren ordered. Callum was immediately apprehended by the guards, his hands forced behind his back. “Now tell me. Where is the heart?” Viren demanded while taping the floor with his staff.

Evie bit the thumb of the guards holding Claudia and Callum prisoner then quickly Claudia pulled her hydra whip out and snapped the doors open, pushing Viren out of the way. Callum ran into the room to find his stepfather lying on his back in his bed with his hands folded over his chest as he slept.

Callum rushed to his side, shaking his arms. “King Harrow, wake up. Wake up!” The king snored peacefully but wouldn’t wake up while Claudia ran inside to check on the king while Soren helped their father up from the floor.

“Harrow, what’s wrong?” Callum was growing anxious, his breathing came out in quick gasps. “King Harrow!” in his desperation, he cried out the word, “Dad!”

He shook the king’s shoulders like a mad-man, screamed out his name but the man did not respond. It was as if he was trapped in his own slumber. Viren angrily pushed his son away as he got up and entered the room only for Callum to turn to the mage with a venomous glare. “What did you do to him?”

(~)

Nyx shifted into her draconic form once she landed,  searching for the others then saw a stack of hay glowing and smirked, parting the hay aside to see the culprit.

“Not the best at hiding, this one.”

“I keep telling him that.” Ezran poked his head out, with a glowing Bait resting on top.

“Nyx, where’s Siveth?” Rayla asked, pulling the hay out of her hair.

“On her way to the tower as we speak. I tried to fend her off for as long as I could.”

“Callum and Claudia are still up there.” Ezran said.

“That’s the last place they should be right now.” Rayla slapped herself in the face as she jumped out of the stack of hay. “I never should have let them go by themselves. Nyx, you have to fly me up there.”

“Why me? You’ve got wings too.”

“They’re kind out of commission at the moment,” Rayla said, pointing her thumb to her back, where they were still motionless.

“Okay, but I’m only good for one trip.”

Nodding in acceptance, Rayla turned to the human and glow toad. “Ez, you stay here. Bait’s in charge.” She turned from them and held onto Nyx who then flew them both towards the tower, leaving Bait and Ezran behind.

The young prince sank where he was, frowning slightly. “Babysat by a glow-toad.” He moaned to himself. “How low and you go?”

(~)

“ What did you do to him?!” Callum shouted with pure agony in his voice.

“He’s fine.” Viren said, frighteningly calm. “So long as everything goes according to plan he will wake up as though nothing ever happened.”

Claudia saw the empty chalice of the floor and sniffed the remaining liquid inside. “Ruby-flower. You used my sleeping potion on the king? What is  _wrong_ with you?!”

Viren had tried being patient with his child, he really had, but Claudia was being every bit as stubborn as her mother. The woman refused to listen to him, no matter how noble his intentions were. He was never going to harm Harrow, he simply needed him asleep long enough to carry out his plan, then he would wake up the next morning, alive and safe once the dragons were disposed of.

But no, she and the step-prince had to make everything difficult. Fine, if she refused to cooperate, then Viren had no choice but to enforce real discipline. Taking her voice was an act of mercy, but now she would face severe punishment for her transgressions.

“I am giving you one last chance, Claudia. Fall in line and I promise I will forget everything you did tonight. I’ll even put in a good word for you to the king.”

Claudia stared at him blankly before anger took over. “You are sick. Sick and mad!”

Soren couldn’t believe it. His own father had drugged the king, his best friend. That’s why he brought the drinks with him. But there... there had to be a good reason, right? Why would his father ever do this?

Viren turned to his confused son, “Soren, remember what I said. I would do anything to protect the king, and I know you would too.”

“Don’t listen to him, Soren!” His sister countered. “You saw what he did. Dad doesn’t believe Harrow is fit to rule, that’s why he’s taking matters into his own hands and he’ll silence anyone who gets in his way!”

“Enough!” Viren’s voice echoed within the halls of the bedroom before he began to chant. The same dark mist that captured Evie’s siblings manifested again, this time wrapping around Callum and Claudia’s waists and arms, forcing them to their knees while it also trapped Evie within the same black sphere that imprisoned her siblings.

“Dad, stop!” Soren ordered, but Viren did not listen. There was no hiding it now, his own father was tormenting his sister and the prince. Soren stopped trying to rationalize it and turned to his guards.

“Grab him!”

The knights obeyed, but Viren threw a couple of green spheres and chanted the spell. The guards were turned to stone right in their tracks!

“NO!” Soren screamed. His own father just petrified four of his best men and women without a second of remorse. Soren fell to his knees, eyes frozen wide and body trembling, he didn’t even put up much of a fight when Viren had the dark mist trap him as well.

“So it’s come to this. My own children have turned against me.” Viren’s voice cracked, his dark eyes piercing their souls and purple veins began to sprout around his neck. “I expected better from you both, especially you, Soren. But you’ve proven that you’re both weak. Wasting your time on games and fairy tales. It’s left you weak and helpless.” His eyes turned to Callum, “And you... you impudent little mongrel. You were spoiled and given everything.”

A growl escaped Callum’s mouth, feeling his anger rising, blinding him. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t even see where he was. All he could think about was how angry he felt, how much he hated Viren, how much he wanted to make him pay for everything he had done. Callum’s arms felt hot underneath the sleeves of his thick blue jacket, a prickling sensation like multiple needles poking up and down his body yet did not bring him any pain.

In his room, his father’s staff began to tremble, creating a miniature earthquake inside Callum’s chambers. Books, pencils and dirty laundry began to rise up into the air as the central stone of the staff began to glow and electrical currents crackled inside the orb.

“Tonight your world is changing and there is nothing you or anyone can do to change it.” Viren said. Callum could feel the rage rising, a burst of wind swirling around him, sweeping his hair and red scarf upwards. But it wasn’t just Callum who felt it.

Claudia and Soren looked away from their father to see a small cyclone already enveloping Callum, his eyes closed and his hands squeezed into fists as blue markings began to appear on his arms, glowing through his thick jacket.

When Callum opened his eyes they were pure white, blazing like balls of sunlight as the wind increased, blowing away the dark mist and Viren. The mage fell backwards onto the floor and the prince stood before them, eyes and arms glowing as the wind spun aggressively around them.

The staff came to life and flew out of the room, cutting through the hallways until it reached Callum’s waiting hand with the orb crackling inside with lightning and Callum sent a blast directly at Viren. The mage screamed in pain as he was shot across and out of the room, through the hallway and down the stairs where Rayla and Nyx were running upwards to reach Harrow’s chambers. Rayla was concerned for Viren for a moment until Nyx pulled her up by the arm. “Hurry!” She growled out.

Once they reached the king’s room the two were stunned to see Callum with his staff in hand, commanding the winds and lightning around him while his eyes glowed along with the markings on his arms.

“Callum!” Rayla cried out.

The sound of her voice seemed to make the prince’s eyes return to normal, the winds and lightning stopping all together. Callum fell to his knees before passing out, his hand still clenched aroundthe staff. Rayla hurried to his side just as the glowing symbols on his arms disappeared.

As she knelt beside Callum and looked him over, Nyx looked at him from over her shoulder. “You could have mentioned your boyfriend was a sylph.” She said casually.

“You!” Soren pulled out his sword when he saw her. She was the same dragon from the night before.

The other smirked at him. “Hey, it’s my old buddy.”

“What are you doing here?”

“She’s with me, she’s harmless.” Rayla said quickly while inspecting Callum. Claudia helped her hold him and check him for any injury.

From the stairs, Viren forced himself back up, clenching his arm which was aching from where Callum’s blast had hit him. He could still feel the electrical pulse stinging his skin. He clenched his jaw as he limped back, the purple veins on his skin becoming more and more prominent. His dark eyes having long since returned to normal.

“Will someone please tell me what is going on right now?!” Soren shouted in frustration. Then, the castle began to tremble and shake.

Claudia looked outside the window to see the balcony guards were lying in a pool of their own blood. The former dark mage gasped, covering her mouth in horror and disgust as two snakes slithered from opposite sides of the balcony. Rayla hurried outside, carrying an unconscious Callum with his arm around her shoulder. The snakes soon transformed into the two EarthWings, both staring at the occupants before one started howling like a wolf. With her memories restored, Rayla understood this was a calling to action. “No, wait!”

The dragons ignored her and the two jumped from the balcony, enveloped in green flames as their bodies shifted and changed, transforming into two beautiful emerald colored dragons with pitch black manes. From above, the two FireWings emerged with a burst of yellow and red flames and set fire to the courtyard, frightening the horses that ran out of the castle grounds and into the forest, including sweet Chestnut.

The male SkyWing soared from above as lightning came down from the sky at its command. Lastly, a dragon with wings like the night sky magically emerged from a cloud of white ethereal energy. She roared, her long silver mane flowing in the nighttime air and soon Rayla recognized the dragon as her aunt Siveth.

From below, guards were being thrown left and right by the dragons’ massive tails, and the EarthWings sunk their claws into the cobblestone ground, commanding the roots underneath to sprout and entangle the humans in their leafy grasp. The trees came to life, caging the guards while the FireWings spewed their fire from above and the SkyWing commanded the lightning to strike the castle, sending a random tower crashing down on the nearby lake.

Destruction reigned from above and down below and there was nothing Rayla or the others could do to stop it.

“You...” Viren spoke in a spine-chilling voice as he approached the group again, using his staff for support. Half of his left sleeve was burnt off, revealing a nasty burn mark but Soren was horrified by his father’s almost corpse-like appearance.

“Dad...?” He asked, cautiously.

Viren ignored his son, his gray eyes fixated on the girl with shimmering scales and silver hair.

As soon as she saw his eyes on her, Rayla’s pupils became slits and she hissed, revealing her sharp fangs to him.

The mage almost smirked. “I knew it... I knew you weren’t normal. You brought this calamity upon us all. But tonight, I will end it... and you.” Viren reached for his pocket and pulled out one of the sphere and quickly recited the chant before anyone could stop him.  “ _ **Nogard laitselec eht ekirts**_ ”

The orb shattered and the mist flew out from inside, floating towards the dragon princess.

Soren, Claudia and Nyx quickly moved to shield Rayla and Callum but they weren’t fast enough. Just before the mist was about to strike the princess, a streak of blue and white came flying in from the window.

Siveth changed into her humanoid form in mid-flight and turned so the dark mist struck her back, right in between her wings. As she fell to the ground in shock, a gray spread across her wings like a virus as they were changed to stone before shattering like glass on impact. Her body was spared from being petrified but at the expense of her wings.

“ _**NOOOOO!!** _ ” Rayla’s scream became a roar so loud it stopped the other dragons in their tracks. They saw their leader fall to the ground, her wings gone then heard Siveth screeched in pain, unable to get back up while her hands reached for her side as if she could touch her wings. She had scarified her wings to save her niece.

Hot tears stung Rayla’s eyes as her aunt laid helpless before her. While everyone was distracted, Viren made his escape as he ran out of the room and down the stairs. The castle was under siege and he was wasting his time with them.

He would get to Rayla later.

Being turned to stone was too good for her. No, Viren wanted her to suffer. They had already stolen his dragon heart, now he had a wingless celestial dragon.

Rage piled up inside Rayla as she watched the mage run off, her claws became more prominent, her scales increased in numbers. Her ears became pointy and blade-shaped markings appeared below her eyes, followed by a pair of twin horns sprouting out of her head.

The princess released another powerful roar and ran after Viren with inhuman-like speed while Claudia and Nyx carried the still unconscious Callum out of the room. The mage heard her coming after him and thinking fast, he called upon the last orb he had. “ _**Ekirts erif dna yks, htrae, eht kcatta!”** _

Rayla finally caught up with him, tackling Viren in the hallway, pushing him to the floor and snarling, claws hovering over his face. Viren managed to kick her off him and Rayla rolled onto the floor, turning and hissing at Viren who held up his staff above his head, ready to stab her. He was thrown back when Nyx kicked his side, both she and Soren shielding Rayla from Viren while Claudia dragged Callum down the stairs alone, one hand around him and the other carrying his staff in one hand.

“You’re too late.” Viren said with a satisfied grin. Rayla saw the dark mist slipping through the walls.

“NO!” She hurried to the windows and watched as the mist consumed the dragons one by one, petrifying their bodies. The male SkyWing dragon fell from the sky, shattering to pieces when he hit the ground.

“Aeolus!” Nyx cried out. She didn’t know him that well, but watching one of her own kind die before her eyes was still horrifying.

From the balcony, Siveth crawled onto the edge and wept as her fellow dragons fell one by one. The EarthWings were frozen in place, the plants they commanded withered and died, releasing the captured guards. The FireWings fell and shattered to pieces just like their SkyWing brother. Siveth screeched in agony and Rayla and Nyx both fell to their knees, crying.

Claudia was mortified to see the remains of the dragons’ petrified corpses spread all across the courtyard like a sea of dead flies.

Soren didn’t know how to feel. He felt no sympathy towards the dragons directly, but seeing Rayla and this other female humanoid dragon weeping over watching her own kind die in front of her... he had to admit, it was heartbreaking to watch.

“I will ask you one last time.” Viren said, standing tall and proud over them. “Where. Is. The heart!” Just then, a loud clang struck the back of Viren’s head and for a moment the mage’s face froze in an awkward expression before falling face first to the floor. Behind him was none other than Ezran, wielding a long bo-staff with a frying pan tied to the end.

“See, Bait.” He said, looking at his friend. “I told you it would work.”

“Ezran! What are you doing here?” Claudia asked, surprised.

The boy frowned at them. “You guys were taking too long and there were dragons literally falling out of the sky!”

“We have to get out of here.” Soren decided, looking over everyone. “We need to move.”

“What about Dad?” Ezran asked.

He made a good point. They couldn’t leave Harrow like this, drugged to sleep. They had to wake him up and Claudia was the only one who knew the antidote. But it was too dangerous for them to stay here, especially for Rayla and the heart.

“We need to get Rayla and the heart somewhere safe. We’ll come up with a plan then.” Claudia said.

It sounded durable. Get away from all the chaos and come up with a strategic plan to stop Viren and wake up the king. Right now, Katolis wasn’t safe for any of them.

The group hurried out of the castle before Viren woke up, running past the shattered corpses of the fallen dragons. Rayla couldn’t think straight. This all felt like a terrible nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. And what’s worse, they couldn’t even go back for Siveth.

Her aunt had come all this way to avenge her niece and brother, and now she had lost her wings in the process. Nyx had to drag Rayla through the wreckage, bypassing several guards as they made their escape into the forest.

(~)

From the balcony, Siveth watched her niece disappear into the trees. She couldn’t help but smile a little despite her loss and pain. She was always such a stubborn child, but she was brave. Siveth didn’t care that she had lost her wings in an effort to save her. She would make that sacrifice over and over again if it meant her life.

She managed to walk into the bedchamber to see the king still in his slumber. How could a human sleep through so much madness was insane in of itself. But when Siveth came closer, she smelled something from the human king’s mouth.

It smelled like flowers. Ruby-flowers. Flowers usually used for sleeping potions according to the ancient scrolls.

This man had been enchanted, no doubt by his own mage. Just then guards burst into the room, wielding swords and crossbows aiming at Siveth.

Before any of them could fire, a groggy voice spoke out. “Don’t shoot.” Viren said as he walked past them, the purple veins were more visible than before on his skin and rubbed the back of his head. “We can find much more practical uses for this one.” He growled then nodded once. “Lock her up.”

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.... this got dark.
> 
> Viren’s spells: For the first one he said “Strike the celestial dragon”, but he didn’t specify which celestial dragon, so it struck Siveth instead. 
> 
> The second: “Strike the earth, sky, and fire wings.” I believe that is self-explanatory. 
> 
> I admit, I thought Claudia was going to be the most difficult character to write. Turns out, she became the most fun and favorite to write. I think I speak for everyone when I say we all want to see her give Viren a taste of his own medicine, am I right?
> 
> So yes, Rayla is indeed the Dragon Princess, and they found her father’s heart. Hey, it can’t be a true DragonHeart story is there isn’t an actual heart involved somewhere. 
> 
> Also, looks like the cat’s out of the bag. Callum isn’t a mage in this universe... he’s a sylph! A sky faerie. Originally I was going to have him be a mage too, but I didn’t want to have two mages in the story, and seeing as it’s a story that involves humans, dragons and faeries coming together, why not have a faerie be part of the dynamic team that breaks the cycle? Also, it allowed for Callum and Claudia to have their own individual arcs rather than the same one. Makes the, both more unique. 
> 
> Until next time, God bless. *kiss, kiss*


	15. Chapter 15

The fires caused by the FireWings were put out by the guards throwing buckets of water all through the courtyard. The wooden stables and armory were in shambles, but at least the horses managed to survive; some returned to the castle after the madness had been tamed. The stoned EarthWings remained untouched while the guards ripped out the vines and cut down the dead trees that once held them prisoner.

Several guards had been injured during the rampage, but only the guards from the balcony of the king’s quarters were confirmed dead. Viren strolled along the courtyard, supervising the clean up from above a staircase that led to the castle’s main doors. One of the guards, a young man by the name of Marcos approached the High Mage, bowing his head and removing his helmet, revealing his spiky raven hair.

“Lord Viren, the dragon remains have all been collected and the injured have been taken to the healers. All the fires have been extinguished.”

“And what of the princes and king’s ward?” Viren asked. He still refused to address the traitorous child as ‘Lady’ by any means.

“No sign of them yet, Sir. I will send out a search party and send a messenger crow to General Amaya right away.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Sir?”

“I had my son and daughter personally escort them to the Banther Lodge before sundown.”

With the only guard witnesses having been stoned... and disposed of right away, nobody else knew where the princes or Harrow’s ward were. For all Marcos and anyone else knew they were already well on their way to the lodge for their own safety.

“But what of Captain Soren?” Marcos asked. He hadn’t seen the young captain at all during the attack. Viren’s face hardened, he didn’t need to do much to feign grief. For all he knew his son, and by all accounts his daughter, were already dead to him.

“Double security around the castle.” Viren ordered and turned to make his leave, his hand grasping the metal handle until Marcos addressed him again.

“Sir?”

Viren ground his teeth, his nostrils flaring as he fought to maintain what little patience he had left. The burn on his left arm ached, and from where Marcos was standing, he looked like he was in need of serious medical attention.

“The king is our top priority. Do as I say, or else.”

“Yes, Sir.” Marcos gulped. He knew better than to anger the High Mage. Disrespecting him would be almost as bad as disrespecting the king himself. With far worse consequences.

(~)

Even with the fires out, the giant sized clouds of smoke lingered above the castle grounds. The two uneven towers could be seen from the spot where the group had chosen to rest for the night.

Soren kept watch while the princes slumbered next to a hollow tree. Ezran was snuggled up against his brother, who fell asleep a few moments before collapsing to the ground. During their escape into the woods Callum kept coming in and out of consciousness, unable to tell which parts were a dream or reality. When they finally reached a safe enough distance between them and the castle, Claudia and Rayla gently laid Callum down against the tree where he fell asleep. Ezran and Rayla stayed with him but while Ezran slept, Rayla stayed awake stroking her sleeping boyfriend’s hair. He looked exhausted, subtle bangs were already forming underneath his eyes. When his brows twitched and his lips quivered she softly kissed his forehead and, like magic, his body relaxed. His fingers uncurled, releasing the iron grip on his staff. Rayla gently laid it down beside them.

Claudia kept a respectable distance, much to Rayla’s concern. She could see the storm of emotions brewing inside the mage. Confusion, anger, grief, fear, uncertainty. Claudia wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her arms up and down while pacing in small circles.

Rayla suggested she got some rest but all Claudia did was sit by a nearby river, away from the rest. Rayla was about to go over and talk to her but decided against it for now. She waited until Ezran fell asleep.

Soren kept watch, Nyx watching from the trees, perched like a cat. Every once and again the knight and dragon would meet each other’s gaze and every time they would respond with a sneer or a glare. Even if this dragon was on their side, she was still a dragon who tried to kill Soren, and he knew next to nothing about her.

Then again, he knew next to nothing about what was going on. All he knew was that Rayla now had scales, pointed ears and horns, dragons were turned to stone by his father’s dark magic, and speaking of his father... his own father put the king under a sleeping spell against his wishes and Soren just let it happen. He couldn’t understand why Viren would do something like this, it was so sneaky and underhanded, and then he petrified his guards without a second thought? And what was all this about him stealing Claudia’s voice and what was with that lightning and wind show Callum did?

He had so many questions, but judging by how exhausted the princes and Rayla were, and his sister’s now distant demeanor,he wasn’t going to get answers anytime tonight. And there was no way he was going to ask the SkyWing for answers. Those two-colored eyes still gave him the creeps. Why did dragons have to be so creepy?

After a couple more hours of pacing, Soren started to yawn. Rayla got up and gave his cape a light tug. “Why don’t you try and get some rest?” She suggested. Even with her new form, Soren could still see that high spirited and independent minded girl Amaya brought home that one stormy night. As confused as he was, he knew he could trust her at least.

“No, I’m fine. I just—“ against his will, Soren yawed loudly while stretching.

Rayla chuckled at his stubbornness, “It’s fine. Nyx can take the next watch.”

Soren grunted when Nyx tilted her head to the side and made a cocky “Mmm,” sound with a wave of her fingers while wearing a Cheshire grin and her tail swishing left and right.

“Please, I can go three days without sleep.” Soren boasted, positioning his fists on his hips.

“I can go three weeks,” Nyx said, rivaling Soren’s boast. “Dragon metabolism. Of course, you wouldn’t know that.”

Rayla rolled her eyes and held out her hand in a commanding fashion. Nyx immediately backed down.

“Nyx, keep watch.” Rayla ordered.

“Yes, Princess.”

“What am I supposed to do now?” Soren asked impatiently. Rayla nodded towards the river, where Claudia was still sitting. Soren flinched. He wasn’t always the touchy-feelings sort of guy, and giving the circumstances, he felt even more unsure of what to say.

Their own father tried to end them when they didn’t follow his commands. It was like something out of their worst nightmares, only it was real and, as painful as it was to admit, there was no going back. This was all happening so fast.

“What do I say?”

“You don’t have to say anything. Sometimes just listening is enough.”

Soren groaned impatiently. She sounded so much like Callum. Always about ‘honesty’ and ‘communication’ with these two.

Rayla could have easily gone over to Claudia and talked, but she felt it necessary for her big brother to be there for her and not let her wallow in this grief alone. Soren was every bit a victim of his father’s manipulative ways as she was. They needed each other now more than ever.

Soren sighed and walked to his sister. Once he was gone, Nyx jumped down from the tree, her wings giving her a soft and soundless landing.

“So we’re really doing this.” Nyx said, resting one hand on her hips. “We’re really keeping them around?”

“They’re my friends, Nyx. They took me in and gave me a home when I couldn’t remember where my home was.”

“And when are you planning on telling them the reason you were in the human kingdoms in the first place?”

Rayla froze. With her memories returning she was starting to remember the finer details, including the night before she lost her memories. She remembered seeing herself running through the muddy forest as the pain continued to aggressively pour from the sky, it was like the SkyWing dragon king himself was furious with the earth below. She remembered the cold chill of fear that ran up her spine, making her ears perk up in alarm.

She looked over her shoulder towards Ezran and Callum, sleeping soundly with Bait curled up beside them.

“Nyx, you have to promise me you won’t say a word.”

“So, you’re not going to tell them, then?”

“I didn’t say that,”

“You didn’t _not_ say it.”

“I mean, they should hear it from me and when I decide it’s the right time.”

Nyx shrugged nonchalantly, “Whatever you say, Princess.”

(~)

Soren coughed when he stood behind Claudia, who was still crying. Evie wiped her tears with a cloth from the satchel Claudia never went anywhere without. The bag itself changed a bit. The decorative pieces like animal claws and Pegasus feathers were long gone, replaced by tiny bottles with seeds and gemstones inside, and a tiny chain of river crystals replacing the one lovely Pegasus feather. Soren barely recognized the bag anymore, but it was a welcome change, unlike what happened with their father.

Soren sat next to his sister, unsure of what to say. She didn’t say anything about his presence, not even a question as to why he was there. He searched her body for any signs of physical injury.

“Are you hurt? He... he didn’t—“

“No,” Claudia responded, wiping yet another tear. “I’m not hurt. At least... not physically.”

“So, it’s true. Did Dad really... take your voice?”

Claudia nodded, swallowing hard.

“But why? Why would he do... any of this?”

“Because he doesn’t trust anyone but himself. Not even me.”

“That’s crazy. You’re like his magic protege or something.” Soren hoped Claudia didn’t notice the twinge of bitterness in his tone.

“Apparently, that’s all I ever was to him.”

“What do you mean?”

Claudia’s cold eyes stared at her reflection in the water. “I used the truth serum on him.” She confessed. Soren’s eyes widened and his mouth flew open in shock, but he didn’t interrupt. “He was going to use Evie’s siblings and the basilisk venom I gave him to complete the spell. A spell he was going to use behind the king’s back. That’s why he used the sleeping potion—my sleeping potion—to keep him under until after the attack. But when I defied him he...” Claudia chocked.

“What? What did he do?” Soren asked. He needed to know.

“He told me that if I wasn’t on his side, then I should leave just like mom did.” Claudia’s voice cracked, her anger bubbling to the surface as she recalled the moment. The moment her father snapped and revealed just how empty and desperate he really was.

Soren couldn’t believe what he was hearing, or perhaps he simply didn’t want to believe it. A part of him wanted to think maybe she heard him wrong, or misunderstood, but everything he had witnessed; Claudia’s voice returning to her after Viren kept it inside a disgusting dead cat’s disembodied claw, the king being under a sleeping potion of Claudia’s design, and turning his guards to stone, imprisoning them and even trying to kill Rayla... there was no way he could have misinterpreted everything he saw, and his sister and her friends were all witnesses.

If that wasn’t horrifying enough, to learn that their own father would say such a thing to one of them was... he couldn’t find the words to describe it, but it wasn’t right. Soren never truly understood why their mother left their father, but after tonight those questions were finally being answered.

 _I would do anything to protect the king. Anything._ Those words sounded so brave and selfless at first, but now they left him feel cold and empty inside. Viren really would do anything for what he believed in... even if it meant sacrificing his own morals and the respect of his own children.

Claudia coughed as more tears came. “When Mom left, I knew how alone and abandoned he felt, so I did everything I could to make Dad happy even if it meant going along with things I knew, deep down, weren’t right. But I don’t just roll over and comply anymore. I just... I can’t.”

Soren wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. He didn’t say anything, for he wasn’t sure what he could say to make her feel better. All he knew was that they were both hurting, and the revelation of their father’s ambitions came crashing hard and fast like the bodies of the dragons which shattered into a millionpieces.

“Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen or what we’re going to do after this, but I want you to know that... I’ll always be here, okay. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

“I know. I love you, Sor-bear.”

Soren smiled. They normally didn’t need to say the words aloud to know how much they meant to each other, but it was nice to hear it every now and again. Especially since he rarely heard it from their father.

Soren spent years trying to earn the approval and admiration of a man who wasn’t easily impressed and oftentimes, appeared to favor Claudia over him because of her natural affinity for magic.

Even so, Soren never outright resented Claudia for it. She always made sure to make Soren feel loved and appreciated no matter what. Claudia filled the maternal hole left behind by their mother, so he never felt jealous. At least, not for very long because his sister always did her best to put him first.

As Soren held his sister in a tight hug, her tears staining his cape, he glanced at the tree where Rayla now slept next to the princes, her head on Callum’s shoulder while Nyx kept watch. He hadn’t forgotten his promise to King Harrow, nor the oath he spoke aloud upon his request.

If there was ever a time to live up to said code it was now when they would need it most. His duty was to the royal family of Katolis, and to his sister.

(~)

The castle of Katolis was still standing, but they did lose a tower or two during the chaos. The stables and armory were burnt to the ground though many of the horses were recuperated. The equines took shelter in the forest and were happy to return to their respected riders. Chestnut was amongst them, but the sweet mare only returned when Marcos approached her. She was a very faithful horse, loyal to the princes and a few guards, Marcos was one of those few who knew her well enough and gently led her back home, speaking soft soothing words of reassurance.

“It’s okay, you’ll see the princes soon.” He said sweetly.

The shattered remains of the dragons were carried away in wooden wheel barrels. No one mourned their demise, many of the guards celebrated the death of these creatures, though others felt a twinge of discomfort when they picked up pieces of their bodies, their legs, claws, wings and parts of their long faces. One of the female guards was almost certain she saw one of the dragon’s eyes shed a tear, also petrified like the rest of it. She didn’t know dragon could cry.

The EarthWings remained untouched, the guards and castle staff removing the dead plants and trees surrounding them. From the tower Viren remained at the king’s side. Harrow was still asleep as the doctors inspected him.

“There appears to be no physical damage.” The doctor said, a round man with fair skin and messy chestnut brown hair with tiny spectacles he adjusted every few minutes. “Though, I can’t explain why he won’t wake up.”

“Surely there must be something.” Viren said, succeeding in sounding anxiously worried. He didn’t have to do much to fake it, he really was worried. Worried of what Harrow may think of him if he found out. Viren swore that Harrow would awaken, but only when he felt it was safe for him. The doctor was no mage, so there was no way he could be able to tell it was magic that kept Harrow in this peaceful slumber.

“Actually, I do have a theory. From what I gather, the king appears to have the symptoms of trauma induced comma.”

“He did take a strike to the head during the attack. But, I didn’t see any blood so I assumed he was only knocked unconscious.”

“I don’t see much swelling, but I’m afraid there isn’t much I can do right now except wait. I will see what else I can do. I’ll contact my colleges and—“

“Why don’t I simply inform you if there are any changes?” Viren suggested in a somewhat cold manner, as though he were growing tired of the doctor already.

“Oh, uh... very well, Lord Viren. Still, I will let you know if I find anything.”

“Thank you.” Viren nodded in gratitude as the doctor gathered his things and walked out, closing the door. Viren’s scowl returned and he loomed over the king. He sighed, his face softening a bit.

“I know this seems cruel, but I’m only doing this for your own good. For the good of Katolis. I couldn’t watch you die. I promise, you will wake up just... not right now.” Viren felt the king’s temperature with the back of his hand. The same as before. No changes. Viren released a heavy breath, his muscles loosening.

Viren pulled back his sleeve, the burnt mark Callum left him was still fresh. The mage sneered as he relived the event in his mind. That little mongrel was one of them. An abomination, a monster. No wonder he was so drawn to the ward. They were no different. Everything wasn’t turning out as he planned. No matter, this was only a minor setback. The important thing now was retrieving the heart, and finally getting rid of that dragon-girl once and for all. And, if he could get rid of the step-prince, he would cleanse the castle of their impurity.

With a poised posture, Viren exited the room, unaware of the pair of eyes watching him. Nyx, in the form of a tiny hummingbird, waited for Viren to leave before shifting into her dragon form and used her claws to pick the locks on the windows. She locked the windows to cover up her tracks, as a good thief should do, and loomed over the king’s bed.

The human slumbered with a neutral expression, despite his peaceful slumber. To Nyx he didn’t look vicious or vile, he looked... harmless and easy to kill. For a moment, Nyx felt a twinge of sympathy but shook it off. She opened the door a crack and saw Viren walking down the hallway. Nyx shifted into a hummingbird again and flew right above till she reached the ceiling, hiding in the various chandeliers that hung from above.

She followed the mage through the castle and into a darkened pathway, patrolled by guards standing in front of metal bars which contained the filthiest looking criminals Nyx had ever seen. These humans perfectly represented what she was always told about humans; disgusting, filthy, greedy beasts with no souls. In contrast to the mage who wore extravagant robes and carried a jewel encrusted staff, and though he carried himself a cut above the rest, but he lacked a soul just as much as the criminal did.

Nyx secured her tiny bird claws on the edge of a loose hanging brick on the wall and observed the mage go down a rounded staircase. She swiftly and quietly flew downwards and quickly hid behind an unlit torch. On the left side of the wall she saw two chains with shackles, hanging loosely with no prisoner. A single door stood in the center of the room. Nyx couldn’t follow him in, but she listened through the small opening in between three metal bars.

The room held only one prisoner... Siveth.

Without her wings, the dragon was in immense pain. So much that she couldn’t shift into her primal form, and even if she could, there was no way she could be able to escape without wings. The mage would simply use his dark magic to trap her again. Her ears flickered when she heard him walk up. She slowly lifted her head up, her beautiful white hair a tangled mess and a metal clasp covered her mouth to prevent her from fire breathing. Her hands were chained up, and her tail was curled around her bent knees, as though she were kneeling before the mage.

Nyx felt a lump in her throat. She had never seen Siveth so... helpless, but even imprisoned she looked up at the face with a fiery defiance. She wasn’t afraid, even now. Viren could hear her growl beneath the metal clasp.

“Had a good night?” Viren said. His tone earned him a couple more growls, the dragon’s eyes becoming slits and she fought to break free of the iron cuffs. When she did struggle she felt the metal burn her skin.

“I wouldn’t if I were you. That metal is enchanted with sphinx hair. When forged into metal it becomes poisonous to faeries and dragons. What kind of a host would I be if I did not read up on our guests?”

Siveth tried to lunge at him but stopped at the burning pain on her wrists. “What are you waiting for?” Siveth said, the clasp giving her voice an echo effect. “Aren’t you going to kill me? Skin me alive and use my scales for your perverted practices?”

“Oh, I have thought of it. But you are of much more use to me alive than dead.” Viren towered over her, relishing in being bigger than a dragon.

Viren had to admit, from this angle with the very limited light that came into the room, the humanoid dragon was admittedly lovely to look at. Hair of moonlight, sequin scales, horns that curved around her head almost like a crown, adorned with precious jewels and pure silver, and her eyes were the color of lilac, just like a certain ward he knew.

“If you value the life of your people, you will tell me where you are hiding the heart.”

“You will never get your hands on it again.” Siveth spat, smelling her own breath against the metal over her mouth.

“Ah, yes. Classic dragon defiance. Very well, if you won’t tell me where the heart is, then maybe you can elaborate on your connections with Lady Rayla.”

Siveth’s brows knitted together, “What are you talking about?”

“Six months ago a young girl was brought to the castle.” Viren hovered his hand close to his chest. “About this tall, platinum blond hair, fair skin, and eyes the color of lilac. No different from yours, actually.” Viren caught the flicker of realization in her eyes. The corner of his mouth twisted upwards. He had her now.

“She also carries with her a medallion. A star stone.”

Siveth’s eyes looked like they were about to jump out of her head.

“Did you send her? Was she part of your elaborate plan to invade Katolis?”

“You leave her alone.” Siveth demanded.

Viren snickered, finding her assertion delightfully endearing. “Again, typical dragon arrogance. You’ll talk, eventually. If you want your precious little dragonet to stay alive. And trust me, there isn’t a stone I won’t turn, no town I won’t raid to find her and that heart.”

“You’re a monster.”

“You’re mistaken. I’m a pragmatist.”

With a wave of his long robe, Viren turned and left the dungeon, leaving Siveth alone. Once he was gone, Nyx hurried through the bars and changed back. Siveth gasped underneath her clasp. Nyx held her finger over her mouth.

“I’m going to get you out of here,” Nyx pulled out a lock pick from her pocket and tried to inject it into the cuff’s keyhole, but the magic surrounding it blocked her.

“Hey! What gives!”

“You can’t open it.” Siveth said. “It’s enchanted. Only the mage himself can break it free.”

“Then how am I supposed to save you?”

“Where is Rhiannon?” Siveth asked. The safety of her niece was more important than her own.

“She’s safe, the heart too. Don’t worry.”

“Nyx, I need you to go to her. Carry the heart back to Xadia, warn my sister-in-law.”

“But what about you?”

“I’ve done my part. Yours is to protect the princess.”

“But I—“

“Swear under oath. Swear it!”

Nyx really, really hated it when Siveth got all stubborn and bossy. Seeing as there was literally nothing else she could do, she did what she was told.

“I swear.”

“Now go, before anyone else sees you.”

Nyx shifted into a hummingbird and flew out of the dungeon, using her lock-pick skills to break out of the doors and out the nearest open window. When no one was looking she changed into a hawk and flew back to where the others were waiting.

(~)

Once she arrived back at their temporary campsite, Nyx spotted the blond knight and his sister sleeping against a tree. She smiled in amusement seeing the knight drooling in his sleep. _The pinnacle of virtue and valor, everyone_.

“Soren... Soren... wake up!”

Of all the ways to be woke up, getting smacked in the face by a dragon tail was not one of them. Soren rubbed his sore cheek and looked up at the SkyWing dragon. Claudia had fallen asleep on his shoulder the night before and she jumped when he moved, hands waving around until she gave her brother a punch in the stomach.

“Ouch!” Soren shouted.

“Ouch! Armor!” Claudia also shouted, shaking her hand which was now throbbing red from hitting the very hard armor.

“What’s the big idea, dragon!” Soren shouted as he got up to face the female SkyWing, almost completely missing the dark and green feathered bird on her shoulder.

“You tell me, the sun’s been up for an hour and you’re still off in dreamland. By the way, did I get your name right? Borin was it? Moureen? Or was it Sonya?”

“It’s Soren,” he said, dusting off his armor. “And what do you want?”

“I come bearing news for the princess and human princes. Where are they?”

“Oh, they’re right... here?” Claudia pointed to the tree where she last saw them sleeping together, but all she found was a waking Ezran and Bait, who stretched his body like a cat’s.

Ezran rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned. “What’s with all the noise?”

“Ezran, where are Callum and Rayla?” Claudia asked.

Ezran looked around, still half-asleep. “I think we all know the answer to that question.” He said dryly.

Nyx threw her head back in laughter. “I like this kid. Also, eww.”

(~)

Callum and Rayla really did sneak away, but not for anything couple related. Callum was the second to wake up, having not seen Rayla anywhere close by. He was careful not to wake up Ezran and snuck further down the river.

He remembered the night before as clear as the crystalline waters before him. His blood ran cold at the memory of his sleeping stepfather, unresponsive to the madness within his own chambers. Callum remembered the unadulterated rage he felt towards the High Mage, but more so he remembered the blast of lightning he directed at Viren, sending him tumbling out of the room. From where he stood he could smell his burning flesh. It was only when he heard Rayla’s voice did he break free of his furry-induced trance, but that was the last thing he could recall before passing out.

His fingers curled around the ends of his blue jacket. It was old and worn, making him look more like a common peasant boy than a wealthy prince. It perfectly reflected how out of place he felt in the castle, even amongst his own family. But after everything that just happened, he wondered if he would ever feel like he belonged anywhere ever again.

With eyes closed, Callum fought back his hesitation and started removing his jacket. By comparison, the red shirt with patterns identical to the one Ezran normally wore, was much more crisp and vibrant in color. Beneath his casual blue, Callum still wore the regal colors of Katolis. The undershirt was sleeveless with a high closed collar and yellow trims and split open right below his belt buckle.

Callum cautiously opened his eyes and just as he suspected, his arms carried unusual markings, some in the shape of wings enveloping clouds but a few of the edges were sharp like a lightning bolt. Callum remembered seeing these unique symbols on the arms of the faeries from his books.

“It wasn’t a dream,” he said to himself as he traced his finger over the pattern on his forearm, right beneath his wrist.

“No. It wasn’t.”

Callum gasped and spun around in fright. A figure cloaked in shadow jumped down from the tree behind him. Callum relaxed one he recognized her voice. The same voice that broke him out of his blind-rage.

As she stepped into the morning light, Callum was rendered speechless. Standing before him was the same girl he had befriended and fallen in love with over the past six months, but now her platinum blond hair had been completely bleached, transformed into a pure, snowy white with subtle trails of silver running down from her roots to her tips like skippering thin waterfalls of stardust. 

Her fair skin now had a soft pinkish hue and two blue markings beneath her eyes, shaped like two twin claws. Her scales sparkled like sequins on a dress, the colors shifting from a bright cyan to darker shades of blue and forming the top half of a heart right above her forehead.

Her ears were now longer with pointed tips, which flickered in the most adorable manner, corresponding with her current mood. As she stepped further into the light she tugged on the ends of her sleeves, trying in vain to cover the scales on the back of her hand and closing her fists so Callum wouldn’t be intimidated by her now much longer nails, that could easily cut through stone. Callum redirected his eyes to her horns, black and stubby with intricate designs as though they were hand painted.

A breathless, “Whoa...” escaped his lips before his brain could keep up. “Is this what you really look like?”

“Not entirely.” Rayla tucked a nonexistent piece of hair behind her ear as she walked closer. Her hands brushed off against the pointed tip. It felt so stranger to have them longer, after getting so used to their smaller, rounded shape.

“I’ve been stuck in human form for so long my magic is still pretty weak.” Rayla said, absentmindedly revealing her claws. Realizing what she was doing she quickly tucked them behind her back, blushing in embarrassment.

Callum smiled lovingly and cupped the right side of her face, lilac eyes met forest green as he held one of her clawed hands in his human ones. While seeing her true draconic side was indeed a surprise, Callum wasn’t afraid. Whether her hair was white or blond, her ears round or pointy, her skin smooth of scaly, the moment he looked into her lilac eyes there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that this was still, and will forever be, the same selfless, strong, brave and caring girl he had fallen in love with.

“You’ve never looked more beautiful.”

Rayla blushed and her heart quickened with joy and relief. Callum already made it clear that he didn’t care that she was a dragon or not and that he would still love her regardless, but hearing it come from his own mouth took a huge weight off of her shoulders. Not only that, he said she never looked more beautiful.

Back when she was still Princess Rhiannon, every dragon and faerie agreed that their future queen was as courageous as she was lovely to behold. By dragon standards, she was very much desired by a number of male dragons and she never thought much of it, but hearing it come from Callum filled her stomach with butterflies. He loved her long before he knew what she was, and he still did now as he was seeing at least half of her true form. Which only made her feel worse regarding what she and Nyx discussed the night before. The guilt was as heavy as an anvil and she knew she had to tell him the truth. Before she could, Callum began to speak.

“So, can all dragons change into humans? How long have you been able to do that? Can you take other forms too or—“

Rayla laughed, using Callum’s adorable curiosity to distract her from what she was about to say. She felt awful, but she promised she would find the right time... at some point.

“Okay, okay, slow down. No, not all dragons can take on human form, but they can change into animals corresponding to their respected elemental magic. FireWings and EarthWings can change into various reptiles, mammals and insects of the desert or forest. OceanWings can change into fish, SkyWings into birds, etc. Celestial Dragons like myself and my family are the only dragons that can take on a human form. The shapeshifting came as a result of evolutionary change which also came as a result of my ancestors mingling with faeries over the centuries.”

“Mingling?”

“Exactly as it sounds.” Rayla said, amused at the surprised look on Callum’s face and she gave his arm a good punch. “Don’t look so horrified,”

“I’m not, I’m just... wondering how that worked out.” Callum’s face became so red it was like his scarf was fusing into his skin.

Rayla rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t try to analyze it too deeply.”

“Okay, so that’s why you have this...” Callum moved his hands up and down Rayla’s frame. “This half-dragon form?”

“It’s called the dragonoid form, and yes. It’s the form most modern day dragons are born with, and we gain our primal form when we reach adolescence. Aside from the change in our physical appearance, our dragon blood has always been the most dominant in the gene pool.”

“So you’re, technically, half faerie?”

“Yep. Something we have in common.”

Callum was confused at first until Rayla nodded to the markings on his arms.

“Like I said, it wasn’t a dream.” said Rayla as she pulled out his staff from behind the tree. As Callum held it he noticed the stone center piece was crackling, strings of lightning danced inside, as alive and warm as a wild flame.

“That’s a primal stone,” Rayla explained, “They’ve been crafted by elementals for generations, mostly as family heirlooms, passed on down from parent to child. They respond only to those belonging to the bloodline of the faerie who created them.”

Callum gasped at her explanation. He cautiously touched the stone with his fingers. It felt warm, almost alive as thunder crashed inside of it. A flash of lightning reached for his finger like a snake latching onto its prey. Callum quickly pulled away, only to realize that sparks of energy were still flickering on his fingertips. The sparks would have made anyone else jump away from the pain, but for Callum the sensation felt right, as natural as dipping his hands in water on a hot day, and just as soothing.

The sparks disappeared but he could still feel their energy coursing through his veins. Just like how he uncovered Rayla’s identity, the pieces fell into place.

How did Callum’s birthfather get his hands on a primal stone? Unless...

_You’re not just good with birds, you can understand them..._

_I don’t really know how to explain it but, it’s like I can feel the wind sometimes..._

_I don’t even know what he looked like, or where he was from..._

_Amaya never actually saw him..._

_I usually like to think maybe they had a forbidden romance going on..._

_It was the story about how a human fell in love with a faerie..._

_They fell in love, and one day that love created something amazing..._

_Your mother wanted to give it to you when you were sixteen..._

_She wanted you to have something of your father..._

“My father...” Callum said after a long silence. “He was...” Rayla nodded, encouraging to go on. “He was the faerie from mom’s story. Which means she was the human and that would make me...”

Rayla nodded, smiling gleefully. “Yes, Callum. You’re half-fae!”

Callum’s smile grew wider as he stared at his reflection on the surface of the primal stone and back at his markings.

“I’m half-fae.” His smiles grew wider as a wave euphoria enveloped him like a hug. “I’m a faerie,” The prince threw his fists into the hair, the stone glowing in response to the elation of the discovery, “I’M A FAERIE!” He shouted at the top of his lungs, until Rayla silenced him by placing her finger over his lips.

“Try not to be a loud one while you’re at it.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Callum! Are you okay?” Ezran came running when he heard his brother’s loud cry. Claudia, Soren and Nyx were right behind him.

“Ezran, you’re not gonna believe this! Mom’s story, the one about the human and the faerie, it was real!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Mom was the human and dad, well my dad, he was the faerie. The story was about me.” Callum showed Ezran his markings. “Look!”

“Whoa! Are those sky makings?”

“Yeah. My birthfather was a sky faerie. A sylph! Which means I’m half sylph.”

“For real?”

“For real!”

Ezran gasped and smiled widely, “No way! My big brother is a faerie!” The two brothers laughed as Callum grabbed Ezran in his arms and spun him around.

Claudia couldn’t believe it if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes. She witnessed Callum strike her father with a thunderbolt with his staff, his eyes glowing along with the symbols on his arms, which were indeed markings that were unique in design for every sylph, like the patterns on a snowflake.

“Oh my gosh, Callum!” Claudia squealed, “You’re a faerie! This is unbelievable!” She then gasped, eyes wide in horror. “Oooooh my gosh. This is why you always got so nauseous when around dark magic.” Claudia gasped again, covering her mouth. “Cal, I am so, so, so, so, so, so sorry! I swear, if I knew—“

“It’s okay, I didn’t know either.” Callum hugged his mage friend, letting her know that there were no hard feelings. “This is incredible!”

After being quiet for long enough, Soren stepped in between everyone, shaking his head and keeping everyone at a distance, “Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold everything! Can somebody, please take a moment to explain to me... WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!”

(~)

The group sat Soren down to explain everything from top to bottom, each one taking turns to further elaborate on the situation they were currently facing, followed by Nyx giving everyone the information she had uncovered while infiltrating the castle.

Once all was out in the open, Soren recapped everything to make sure he didn’t miss any details or misunderstood anything.

“Wow... okay, so... Rayla is now a dragon,” Soren said, pointing at Rayla.

“Technically, she’s always been a dragon,” Callum clarified, “She was just stuck in human form after losing her memory.”

“Right, right. And you’re supposed to be a...” Soren paused, still unable to believe what he was about to say, “ A faerie now?”

“Sylph,” Callum corrected.

“Sylph, okay. And she-“ Soren pointed to Nyx, “She’s a good dragon, right? She’s not gonna eat us?”

Nyx stuck out her tongue and gagged, “Disgusting.”

“No, she’s not going to eat you and neither am I,” Rayla said.

“Okay, good.” Soren said, “And that glowing, beating thing inside the box is the heart of the dragon king that my dad was keeping underneath the castle this whole time... also the dragon king was your dad?”

“Yes.”

“That means, _your_ dad...” Soren pointed at Rayla, “Killed _his_ mom...” he pointed to Callum, “And then _your_ step-dad...” he pointed back at Rayla, “Killed _your_ dad and that’s why the dragons showed up last night in the first place.”

“Pretty much.” Rayla said, Callum nodded.

“And after all of that, you guys are still...” Soren put his two fingers together as though they were kissing, “A thing?”

“Soren, we aren’t responsible for our parents’ mistakes.” Callum said as he held Rayla’s hand in his. But when he said those words, Claudia looked away in shame.

They didn’t know that it was her basilisk venom which Viren used to complete the spell which killed all of those dragons and rendered Rayla’s aunt wingless. To add more salt to the wound, it was her sleeping potion which put the king under. Her own father used one of her creations for his own gain. Most of this was her fault, even if she didn’t play an intentional or active role in it, Viren wouldn’t have gotten this far without her.

Callum was right that he and Rayla weren’t responsible, but she was.

“And now this Siveth lady, that’s her name right, Siveth? Whatever, she wants us to take Rayla and the heart to Xadia?”

Rayla nodded, “Yes, but right now we need to focus on waking up Harrow from the sleeping spell and break my Aunt Siveth out.”

After Nyx told Rayla about Siveth, Rayla refused to comply and let her wallow in the dungeon like that. If they could clear up everything to Harrow, and prove Viren’s treachery, then they could spare Siveth and return the heart without issue.

“Uh, princess, your aunt was very clear—“ Nyx said, but was cut off by Rayla.

“I know what she said, Nyx. There is no way I’m going to let her rot in that prison.” Rayla’s hands formed into fists at the thought of Viren having her chained against her will, and with enchanted shackles now less. “Claudia, do you have the ingredients for the antidote?”

Claudia went through her bag to check her items. “Yeah, but I still need to boil the mixture. It will take at least twenty minutes until it’s strong enough to work.” Her eyes lit up when she looked at Rayla. “Hey, can you heat it up with your fire breath?”

Rayla sighed regretfully, “My magic’s in pretty bad shape right now. I doubt my fire would be enough to boil an egg.”

“Can you at least try?” Callum asked. Rayla smacked her chest with a closed fist and opened her mouth, coughing. She managed to cough out a tiny blue flame which landed on the flat grass. Bait sniffed it but the flames quickly snuffed out, leaving a thin stream of smoke. Ezran hovered his hand over the spot from where it fell.

“Anything?” Claudia asked.

Ezran shook his head. “Nope. Can’t even boil an egg.”

“Told you,” Rayla said. Callum gave her shoulder a firm squeeze.

“That’s okay, we’ll figure out something else.”

“What about the Banther Lodge?” Ezran said, while Bait was still sniffing the spot where the fire landed and turned his color a bright blue to match the color of the fire. “Dad was sending us there anyway, and there’s a kitchen where Claudia can make her potion.“

“That’s actually not a bad idea, Ezran.” Callum said, smiling with pride at his little brother’s smart thinking.

Soren stepped in, slightly pushing Callum to the side, much to his annoyance. “Whoa, whoa, slow down there. As the oldest, and more experienced one out of all of us, I think there’s a much quicker, and safer solution.”

Nyx rolled her eyes, “This outta be good.”

“We’ll just sneak back inside the castle, I let the guards in on our plan, and Claudia can make the potion in that little lab of hers. Faster and simpler.” Soren tapped his head with his finger, taking great pride in his clever thinking.

“And what makes you so sure Dad won’t already have the guards looking for us?” Claudia said, folding her arms, “The ones who ran off with his precious dragon heart and who were witnesses to his act of treason and who didn’t hesitate to turn several of your guards to stone!”

“And now knows that I’m a dragon and won’t hesitate to throw me in the dungeon or petrify me the first chance he gets.” Rayla pointed out.

“Don’t forget how prince-sparky over here almost blew his arm off.” Nyx said, pointing towards Callum with her thumb, who in return gave her a stern look.

Soren’s boastful attitude dwindled, being replaced by grief and worry.

“Face it, the castle isn’t safe for any of us right now,” Rayla said, “Our best bet would be to hide out in the lodge until Claudia has the antidote ready. We can come up with a strategy plan from there.”

“Sounds good to me.” Ezran said. Bait croaked in agreement.

“I’m in,” Claudia raised her hand. She elbowed Nyx’s arm and the dragon groaned before raising her hand to showcase that she too was in agreement. She narrowed her eyes at Soren, who sighed.

Soren groaned, feeling sick over accepting defeat.

(~)

The Banther Lodge was to the east, and like Callum said, it would take them at least thirty minutes. The eldest prince felt a jab in his chest the further they went into the forest. Every now and again he would look over his shoulder and watch as the uneven towers of the castle disappeared behind the tall trees.

Running away felt like such a cowardly thing to do, but Callum kept reminding himself how this was the smartest choice. They needed to regain their strength and prepare the antidote for the king. Without it there was no way they could prove Viren was guilty, and only with Harrow awake would they have a chance at helping Rayla’s aunt.

As they walked through the woods, Callum noticed Rayla was eerily silent through most of the journey. “You okay?” He asked.

“Mm? Oh, yeah. I just remembered something.”

“About your family?”

Rayla softly shook her head. “No. It’s something Harrow told us before. Didn’t he mention that Amaya would be meeting us at the lodge?”

“That’s good. If anyone will believe that Viren went ballistic it’s her.”

Rarely chuckled, “I don’t doubt that,” her smile was replaced with a frown, her eyes dim. “How exactly are we going to explain...” she points to her horns and scales, “This? You know how she feels about dragons.”

Callum did know. Unlike Sarai, who was more open-minded towards creatures like the fae folk, Amaya wasn’t so easily bendable. Also Rayla being the daughter of the same dragon who killed Sarai in the first place wasn’t really helping matters, not even mentioning the fact that now Callum was going to have to explain that her sister’s first love was a faerie creature, which was why she never met him, and that Callum himself was a faerie as well.

But perhaps that was a good thing. Once he eased her into accepting his heritage he could coax her into accepting Rayla’s. He wasn’t expecting her to be completely okay with it at first, something like this would take some time to get used to, but Callum was certain Amaya wouldn’t hate Rayla. She loved her to pieces when she had been human, it shouldn’t be too hard to do the same again now. Rayla was easily lovable, no matter what form she was in.

Callum held Rayla’s hand in his. “Don’t worry. No matter what happens I won’t let anyone slay you on my watch.”

Rayla smiled and leaned in close, resting her head on his shoulder. “My hero.”

Claudia kept a respectable distance from Nyx. The SkyWing clearly didn’t like being around humans, but Claudia couldn’t help and make a mental list of questions she wanted to ask her.

How did it feel to have a tail? How heavy were those wings, or were they even heavy at all? How did she know Rayla—or, Rhiannon as she called her—was Nyx a princess too? Were there other dragon royal families from every primal source?

“Draw a portrait, it’ll last longer.” said the SkyWing, not even bothering to turn her head around to face the mage.

“Sorry, sorry.” Claudia excitedly paced onward until she was walking right beside Nyx, much to the later’s annoyance.

Claudia had already forgiven her for frightening her brother, assuming she was only trying to defend herself. And since she knew Rayla, how bad could she really be? Maybe she was nicer once they got to know her. She could have eaten or killed them hours ago, but she didn’t. Heck, she could have easily killed Soren and she didn’t, which Claudia was thankful for.

“It’s just I’ve always been told that dragons were these vile, bloodthirsty monsters, but seeing as everything I’ve ever believed in was a lie,” Claudia clenched her jaw thinking of her father. She cleared her throat before continuing, “I thought now would be a good chance to really get to know your people.”

“Oh, sure. That way you can get all of our secrets and know how to stone us alive with your dark magic.” Nyx’s pupils shifted to slits and she showed off her fangs to try and scare Claudia into submission.

She couldn’t tell if Nyx was being serious, or darkly sarcastic. Or maybe both? Not even Nyx herself could make up her mind, but she didn’t really care. The dragon got a kick out of seeing the human girl squirm. Now she knew why Siveth did this a lot.

“No, no, no, no, no. Nothing like that. I am _through_ with dark magic.” Claudia said, a droplet of sweat trailed down her cheekbones. Saying this out loud for the first time left a bittersweet in her mouth.

On one hand, she didn’t regret her decision, and in fact she took some pride in finally thinking for herself instead of allowing her father to gaslight her again. But, on the other hand, dark magic was always something that brought them closer. Then again, they were bonding over the murder of innocent fae creatures to infuse themselves with magic.

Claudia shuddered at the memory of those horrible purple veins growing from his neck. She did make the right choice, the man she thought her father was could go bury himself in a ditch. Her heart ached upon thinking such thoughts. She was furious at her father, but at the same time she couldn’t completely let him go. It was... complicated, to say the least.

“I’ve actually been studying the old magic.” She said, trying to redirect the conversation to something more positive.

Nyx scoffed upon hearing this, “Yeah right, that stuff’s been dead for centuries.”

“No, it’s real, look.” Claudia pulled out her hydra whip and snapped it against the ground. “I made this using the rubber substance of the hydra plant. And Evie can track down plants with traces of Xadian magic inside of them.”

“Plants? So that’s why the tracking spell smelled so... spring-like.”

“My tracking spell? So it did work!”

“Yes, congratulations, you used old magic to track down a bunch of dragons in order to slay them. You must feel so proud.” Nyx hurried away, not wanting to speak to the mage any further. Just standing next to her ruffled her feathers.

Claudia didn’t try to defend herself. Nyx was right, she did use her magic to track them, by order of her father. Claudia didn’t want to do it, but followed anyway. Not even her own creations were spared from her father’s twisted ways... especially the king, who was under the effects of _her_ potion.

Evie hissed, her fork tongue tickling Claudia’s cheek to try and cheer her up. It didn’t make her problems disappear, but it made her even more determined to set things right.

“We’re here!” Ezran jumped and dashed ahead once they reached the Banther Lodge in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by rows of small trees with swings tied to the branches and a small lake behind the house. The area was completely deserted, which was a relief because it meant Amaya had yet to arrive.

“It’s lovely,” Rayla said. The architecture was simplistic and quaint, giving out a warm and welcoming vibe.

“You should see it in winter.” Callum said. Rayla hoped that would come true one day. She could already see herself sliding through the snow on a sled with the boys, laughing as they made their way down the slope and crash into a snowman.

Nyx outstretched her hand to stop everyone from going further. She sniffed the air to see if she could detect any humans, aside from the ones she was currently traveling with, much to her chagrin.

“Relax, dragon there’s nobody here.” Soren said as he rudely shoved her aside and made his way towards the lodge.

Nyx’s pupils became slits and she growled. “And I thought knights were supposed to be chivalrous.”

Callum hurried to the two front doors, which were locked but luckily Callum already had his extra keys which he packed before the attack. “Alright, Claudia the kitchen is on the left, we’ll gather some supplies from the extra rooms and—What in the what?!”

Once inside, the interior of the lodge was in shambles. Furniture was flipped upside down, lamps and picture frames were broken and spread on the floor, the rugs were ripped and pulled out from underneath the tables, and the chandelier from above had fallen and shattered. Good thing the candles were out or else the whole place would have been burned to the ground. And yet, they detected the faint smell of burnt wood. Black splotches, like strikes of lightning were on the walls, some were still fresh with trails of thin smoke coming out.

“It wasn’t like this the last time we were here.” Ezran said, poking out from behind his brother while holding Bait in his arms.

Soren jumped inside, sword in hand, the metal glistening in the light. Nyx rolled her eyes at his dramatics. One minute he was ready to stroll in like he owned the place and the next he’s trying to be the protector.

“Who could have done this?” Claudia asked, tugging on one of the torn up drapes. The place looked like it was ransacked, but from the looks of it, nothing was really stolen. Broken and thrown to the floor, maybe, but not taken.

Without saying a word, assuming they would stay put either way, Soren cautiously walked further into the lodge, all of his senses on high alert as he waited to hear the noise again. Rayla and Callum shielded Ezran, while Claudia had her hand stuffed inside her bag, waiting for the proper moment to pull out her hydra whip. Rayla and Nyx hissed at the sound of something coming from upstairs.

“It’s coming from the game room,” Callum said, tightening his grip on his staff. Without a holster on his back like the one Nyx used for her weapon, Callum had to carry it by hand. He was hoping to find something in the lodge to work as a substitute, but it was clear they had bigger concerns right now.

Soren ordered everyone to stay back and ran up the stairs, his cape dramatically billowing behind him. The others followed, including Ezran.

Another noise was heard and Soren followed it to the door which led to the game room. The door was partly open, with a piece of the bottom half broken off. Soren kicked the door with his foot and jumped inside, swinging his sword around to try and intimidate whoever it was that dared to infiltrate the winter lodge of the royal family of Katolis.

The others stood at the doorframe, unimpressed. “Are you trying to be initiating or auditioning for a talent show?” Rayla teased, which made Claudia give out a burst of laughter.

“Shush!” Soren brushed off the comment and tiptoed deeper into the room, his foot kicking a random wooden cube from a nearby Xadia themed board game. Wooden figurines of dragons, faeries and knights littered the floor, bringing back fond memories from Callum and Ezran’s times here with their father.

Another noise made the group jump in alert. It was closer this time. Claudia quickly pulled out her whip but in her hurry she accidentally snapped at Nyx’s tail.

“Ouch! Hey!”

“Sorry!”

The noise grew louder. An aggressive rumbling inside the large wardrobe in the far back right hand corner of the room. Soren stepped closer, keeping everyone at arm’s length, and was ready to swing the doors open until they heard something that sounded vaguely like a... horse whinny?

Ezran pushed through Rayla and Callum and past Soren. “Prince Ezran, don’t!” against his command, Ezran tried opening the doors but they were stuck. Something from the inside was keeping the doors locked.

“Soren, can slide your sword through the opening?”

“How is that going to help?”

“Just do it.”

Soren complied and his sword apparently split something in two, allowing the doors to fly open. A wooden stick with a stuffed horse’s head rolled out, snapped in two. This was the item that had been holding the doors.

A blur of blue and white jumped out of the wardrobe behind the pile of stuffed animals and figurines and hid behind one of the two chairs, underneath a table. Soren held out his sword again but was stopped again, this time by Callum.

He noticed something flicker underneath the table, like a tiny spark. The whining sounds were soft and low. With her keen hearing, Rayla could detect breathing.

Callum bent over to see the mysterious intruder for himself. Soren stayed close, ready to slash the thing’s head if necessary. The creature was larger than a puppy, almost the size of a full grown dog hunting dog. Its fur was light blue with tiny white sparks coursing around it. It had black cloven hooves instead of paws, a lion-like tail and a mane that reminded Callum of white clouds on a clear day with subtle shades of gray and hues of yellow from the sun. Its eyes were big and blue and it stared at Callum with curiosity. It had feathered wings tucked in and from its forehead stood a long curved horn. Its long pointed ears flickered as Callum tilted his head to the side.

Carefully, he reached out his hand for the creature to sniff. From its horn came out an electrical current that zapped Callum’s fingers. The creature was surprised to see that the human didn’t shy away, nor react in pain like others have.

Cautiously, the little one crawled out from underneath the table and Callum laid down his staff, speaking soothingly at the creature.

“It’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you.” Callum gently held his hand up and softly patted the creature on the head. It relaxed into his touch, its ears folded back against its head and its long lion-like tail swishing back and forth with delight.

The others couldn’t believe it. The intruder turned out to be a scared little baby unicorn... with wings.

Once confident enough, the unicorn jumped onto Callum’s chest, licking his face like a puppy dog, leaving zappy kisses all over the prince’s face.

“Stop! That tickles!”

“Looks like we found our intruder,” Rayla chuckled as she approached the unicorn and, as if by instinct, it jumped off Callum and hurried to her like a youngling returning to its mother. It clearly recognized Rayla as a celestial dragon, the sixth element.

Claudia was stunned, her eyes and mouth frozen open for a couple minutes before she squealed like a hyperactive little girl.

“ _It’s so cute!_ ” Hearts popped in her eyes and she practically glided towards the little equine creature. “It’s a baby unicorn! Hey you...” Sadly, her childhood dream being realized was abruptly stopped by her brother who blocked her path.

“Whoa, slow down. It could be dangerous. What if it has fleas or rabies or something?”

“It’s a unicorn, Soren. Not a rabid dog. And this one is so _wittle!_ ” Claudia pushed her brother back so she could finally pet the little baby. “Who’s a pretty unicorn, you are! Who’s a good girl!”

“He’s a boy.” Callum said.

“Who’s a good boy! You are, oh yes you are.” Claudia coed, and from the looks of it, the unicorn was responding positively to the attention. “Wait, I didn’t know unicorns came with wings.”

“They don’t,” Rayla said. “He must be a hybrid. Half unicorn-half Pegasus. An alicorn.”

“So, he has sky and earth magic?” Callum asked.

Rayla shook her head. “I’m afraid not. While a hybrid can have the physical aspects of both parents, they can only inherit one of the primal sources. It’s a biology thing.”

“So his horn can’t heal plants or purify poison?” Ezran asked while stroking the alicorn’s mane. The little guy licked the young prince’s cheek.

“No, but what he lacks in earth magic he more than makes up for in blasting anything that’s not nailed down.” Rayla pointed to the interior of the wardrobe, which was partly burnt from the lightning blasts created by the unicorn.

“Poor little guy. You were just scared, weren’t you?” Ezran hugged the equine, who whinnied in response, nodding his head. 

“Can we keep him? Can we, please?” Claudia begged, giving Callum and Rayla the puppy eyes.

“No! No, no, no, no, no, no.” Soren said, dampening the once cheerful mood. “Are we forgetting why we came here in the first place? Potion, sleeping king, ring any bells?”

“Soren’s right, and General Amaya could show up at any minute.” Rayla said.

“Speak of the gorgon.” Nyx pointed to the window and everyone hurried to see a troop of soldiers riding on horseback heading for the lodge.

“Worst. Morning. Ever.” Soren grunted.

“Okay, let’s not panic.” Callum tried to sound calm but was already hyperventilating. He wasn’t planning on Amaya arriving so soon, and now the lodge was a mess, and now they had to hide Rayla and Nyx’s dragon forms, as well as a baby alicorn.

“I don’t suppose you can shape-shift too?” Callum asked their new little friend. The equine tilted its head in a cute manner. “I’m going with ‘No’.” Callum took in a deep breath, steadying his heartbeat and thinking rationally. “Rayla, Nyx, you and the unicorn head to the second room on the left and stay there while we deal with Aunt Amaya. Claudia, you and Ezran head to the kitchen and get to work on that potion. Soren, you’re with me. Let’s move!”

(~)

Rayla and Nyx led the baby alicorn into the room Callum mentioned and the princess gently told him to hide underneath the bed and to not make a sound.

“It’s okay, little one. Everything’s going to be okay.” She whispered, stroking the alicorn’s mane and placed a soft kiss on top of its head. The equine curled up on himself underneath the bed and Rayla jumped into it, covering herself from head to toe with a blanket while Nyx took on the form of a bluebird alongside a row of wooden ones adorning the top of the wardrobe.

“This is so demeaning.”

“Shut up! Wooden birds don’t talk. And neither to normal birds.”

“So who are the tin cans heading this way?”

“General Amaya. She’s Callum and Ezran’s aunt. King Harrow sent her to meet us here before the attack. She was the one who found me.”

“I’m going to take a wild guess and say that she has no idea who you really are either.”

Rayla sighed, laying on the bed, her horns hidden underneath the blanket.

“Oh, Princess. How did you get yourself tangled with these... humans.” Nyx spatted at the word as though it were poison in her mouth.

“They’re good people, Nyx. You would know that if you got to know them.”

“That’s not what you said the last time.”

Rayla didn’t respond. She kept silent and trusted Callum’s plan.

(~)

Callum and Soren hurried in making the lodge somewhat more presentable. They hid the broken items and covered the burnt markings with portraits that weren’t broken, vases and drapes. It wasn’t perfect, but it hid at least some of the damages. The boys would have to come up with a believable excuse, like maybe they were playing a bit too rough, or somebody tried being a little too risky in the kitchen.

Speaking of which, their little equine friend left quite a mess in the kitchen as well. Ezran and Claudia, with the assistance of Bait and Evie, managed to clear up the counter and gather the necessary items for the potion. Ezran gathered an oil lamp and Claudia prepared a miniature version of her lab back home. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to suffice for now.

One of the troops outside blew on a trumpet and Callum and Soren hurried to greet them. Claudia told Ezran to join them while she prepared the potion, which was already mixed and now was being boiled. She gathered some eggs, butter, a frying pan and a bowl with a bag of flour to start making some breakfast for the troops, knowing they would be hungry, and in the hopes that full stomachs would put them in a better mood.

Ezran had the heart hidden inside his backpack, which he kept with him at all times for safekeeping. Nobody would question a ten-year-old carrying his backpack. It wasn’t uncommon.

Callum hid his father’s staff inside a closet, but took a moment to look at it. Hiding it away was a visual metaphor for hiding his true heritage. He told himself that regardless of what happened in the past, Amaya deserved to know the truth. It was the only way to save his stepfather and stop Viren. Maybe this could be the start of finally ending this war.

Soren tapped Callum on the shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts and he rushed outside, leaving the closet open a crack with the primal stone glowed in the darkness.

Callum adjusted his jacket as the troops arrived, walking with his back straight with Soren standing next to him, hands behind his back to lookdignified. Amaya jumped from her horse and rushed to hug the boys.

“ _I’m so glad you boys are safe,_ ” she signed. As always, Gren was present, translating her sign language but both boys were fluent in the language themselves.

“Extremely safe,” Callum said, careful not to stutter from his nervousness. “Safe and... alive.” The prince cringed at his own words.

“ _I received King Harrow’s message and came as quickly as I could._ ” Amaya looked around, “ _Where’s Rayla?_ ”

“Asleep,” Callum said at the same time as Ezran responded with, “Caught a cold.” The two looked at each other and then swapped their responses. Amaya raised an eyebrow.

“She... caught a cold and now she’s sleeping it off.” Callum chuckled nervously, “I wouldn’t disturb her right now.” From the looks of it, Amaya was buying it, though Callum made a mental note to do a better job in keeping himself calm or else she would grow suspicious.

Fortunately, Amaya’s attention was drawn away from the boys to the other male with them. “ _Soren, I didn’t expect to see you here._ ” She signed and Gren translated.

“Uh, yes well there is a perfectly good explanation for that. You see, I—“

“I personally requested for Soren to accompany us.” Callum explained quickly, “Him and Claudia. Just until you showed up. I didn’t want Ezran to get too scared. You know how the woods are at night.”

“So scary!” Ezran agreed, trying to sell the deception by making his knees buckle.

“Yes, what he said,” Soren forced a smile, as did the princes.

Amaya looked at them then sniffed something in the air. “ _Is that what I think it is?_ ”

Claudia poked her head from behind the doorframe, she had a splotch of white powder on her cheek and wore a chef’s hat. “Oh, hey General Amaya. So good to see you. I was just making some flapjacks for everybody. Would you like some?”

“Chocolate chips?” Amaya signed.

“Is there any other kind?” Claudia beamed.

(~)

Claudia served the hungry Amaya and her interpreter their plates before serving Callum, Ezran and then Soren. She even spared a few for Bait and Evie. Above them, the alicorn smelled the delectable aroma of the floppy flapjacks and Rayla had to pull the little one back from heading down.

“Not yet. I’ll get you a batch later, I promise.”

The poor alicorn whinnied sadly and returned to hiding under the bed. Even Nyx could feel her stomach rumbling. For all of the disgusting things she heard about humans, every now and again they could make something really mouthwateringly good.

“Dig in everybody.” Claudia said cheerfully, then shot Callum a tense look, trying to prompt him to speak.

“So, Aunt Amaya, how was your trip?” Callum asked, hoping to ease into the conversation with some small talk.

“ _Worrisome_.” Amaya replied, then pulled out a rolled up letter from her pocket. “ _A messenger bird delivered this letter from the king yesterday and I came as quickly as I could_.”

Seeing the letter reminded Callum of the one Harrow had given him. He patted his shirt and searched his jacket pockets but it wasn’t there.

“What’s wrong?” Gren asked.

“I just... he gave me a letter too but I must have dropped it somewhere.”

Claudia almost dropped the egg she was holding. She had Callum’s letter, in all of the commotion she had forgotten all about it.

“What did your letter say?” Callum asked. Amaya gave him the paper and he unsealed it to read the words aloud. “General, the castle is under threat. Assassins have infiltrated the kingdom. Dragons.” Callum dared to look up from the letter to see the sneer his aunt gave at the mention of the creatures. Callum gulped before continuing, “Do not bring your forces to the castle. Your orders are to proceed immediately to the Banther Lodge. Callum, Ezran and Rayla will be there. Above all, see to it that my sons and my ward are safe.”

“ _Wait, there’s more on the back._ ”

Callum turned the letter around. “P.s. Once their safety is assured the kids may wish to build a dirt man,” Callum looked up with a deadpan expression. “We do not wish to build a dirt man.”

“We do not.” said Ezran with the same deadpan expression as his brother before taking another bite of his pancake.

“ _Don’t worry, you’re safe now, boys_.” Amaya signed.

They sat in a tense silence for a bit then Callum stood up, grabbing a plate of pancakes as he did. “Uh, I’m gonna go check up on Rayla. See if she’s hungry.” He said then smiled at his aunt and headed upstairs.

Amaya folded her arms. Callum was acting a little peculiar.

“Who wants seconds?” Claudia offered the General another steaming batch of flapjacks.

(~)

Rayla smelled the pancakes from the other side of the door, followed by a knock.

“Rayla, it’s me.” Callum whispered. The princess sprung from her bed and opened the door, inviting him in.

“What’s going on down there?”

“I’ve got good news and bad news, and then some more good news. The good news is Claudia’s making the potion as we speak and it should be ready soon.”

“And the bad news?”

“Amaya and her heavily armed human troops are all down there and I’m still trying to think of a way to tell her, well, everything.”

“You said you had other good news?”

“Oh yeah, Claudia made pancakes.” Callum handed her the plate.

“Okay, that does make things a little better.” Rayla chuckled, taking a whiff of the intoxicating aroma. Claudia always made the best flapjacks. The alicorn poked its head out from under the bed and started devouring the pancakes. Nyx changed back into her dragonoid form and joined him, eating hovered over her head and devouring it like a bird eating a worm, swallowing it whole without chewing.

“Did Amaya ask about me?” Rayla asked hopefully.

“I told her you had a cold.”

Rayla raised a brow, “Seriously?”

“It wasn’t my first idea! Look, just stay here for a little bit until i come up with something,” Callum said as he made his way to the door. “I promise, everything is going to be okay.”

Rayla was still nervous. As much as she wished she could tell Amaya everything, knowing her and the history her family had with dragons—specifically Rayla’s own family—she didn’t have the heart to make her go through that pain again.

“Wait!” She grabbed Callum by the arm and pulled him back into the room. “Maybe...you shouldn’t tell her.”

“What?”

“About me. Tell her about Viren and the sleeping spell but don’t mention anything about the heart or what I really am.”

“But you can’t change into your human form right now, how are you going to—“

“I just... I just feel like it would be a lot easier for her to swallow right now.”

Callum thought about it and, perhaps he was thinking a little too far ahead. After seeing the hatred in Amaya’s eyes at so much as the mention of the word ‘dragon’, he knew revealing Rayla’s true identity wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought. Rayla was right; what was important right now was waking up Harrow and putting Viren in his place. Only then, with the king on their side, would they be able to tell everyone. About who Rayla was... and about who Callum was as well.

“Okay. I’ll go tell her.” Callum pulled her in for a quick kiss. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

After Callum left, Nyx made a gurgling sound. “I’d say get a room but I don’t want to upchuck my breakfast.”

(~)

More of Amaya’s troops were entering the lodge, keeping guards outside. Claudia quickly inspected her potion inside a cabinet.

“Is it ready yet?” Soren asked.

“Five more minutes.”

“Can’t you make it go any faster?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you _wanted_ to wake up the king.”

“At this rate he’ll be asleep for a hundred years.”

“Maybe if you paid better attention to the process of potion making you—“

“Guys!” Callum called out to them from behind the couch. The two siblings gave one of the troops a friendly wave while smiling widely.

Ezran was on the floor, ‘playing’ with wooden figurines, when really he was playing the part of an innocent child so not to raise suspicion.

“Please tell me there’s more to your so-called ‘plan’.” Soren whispered, using air quotes.

“There is. You guys keep the troops busy, I’m going to talk with Aunt Amaya. Alone.” Callum said.

“Are you going to tell her about Rayla and... you know,” Ezran pointed to his arms. Callum looked at his own arms and knew that even without their glow he could still see the markings clearly in his mind’s eye.

“Not yet, but I’m going tell her about Dad and Lord Viren.”

“Uh, you might want to hurry up on that,” Claudia pointed behind him and Callum gasped. Amaya was heading upstairs... to where Rayla was.

“Oh, no.” Callum rushed to the stairs, blocking Amaya from going any further, stretching his arms. “Uh, w-what—where are you going?”

“ _I’m just going to check up on Rayla,_ ” Amaya signed.

“Oh,” Callum scoffed, flickering his wrist, “She’s fine. Fine and sleeping. She’s sleeping. Like a baby. I-I-I wouldn’t go in there.”

Amaya raised a brow at her nephew. He was acting a little peculiar before, almost anxious, but now he was clearly trying to hide something.

“ _Young man, is there something you’re not telling me?_ ” She signed with a stern expression. Callum really didn’t want to think of what she assumed was going on. Why didn’t he want her to check up on Rayla? It’s not like Amaya would make much noise.

“Uh, no, no, there’s nothing to hide, why would I need to hide anything?” Callum stuttered.

Amaya was growing impatient, now she had to know what it was Callum was hiding. There was something very off, she could feel it in her bones. Her nephew was sweating like he ran a marathon and he was extremely determined to prevent her from seeing the king’s ward.

Amaya lifted Callum up and placed him on the side, patted his head and then headed to the doors. Callum bit on his nails. There was no stopping her now.

(~)

Rayla heard the door open and saw the shadow of General Amaya on the wall in front of her. She had her back facing the general, her horned head completely covered up by the blanket. She breathed in and out slowly, but her heart was racing like a cheetah on overdrive. Amaya slowly approached the bed, and Rayla closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. She pulled the covers up to just below her nose to hide her markings.

Nyx remained still, her tiny bird legs buckling as the very tall and intimidating woman walked to the bed. The alicorn underneath stayed put, whinnying quietly when he saw a pair of human feet.

Amaya looked over the covered figure. Rayla could feel her brows twitching and most of her body start to tremble. She used to feel so safe and secure when around Amaya.

For a woman in the Katolian military, she was every bit as kind and loving as she was strong and dedicated. Rayla tried to focus on the good memories she had with Amaya; her warm hugs, her supporting smile and the way her eyes lit up when Rayla spoke to her via sign language for the first time. She didn’t want to think that she could possibly lose that friendship because of what she was.

For once, she was scared to be around Amaya. She almost felt like crying but she had to keep the illusion up. Callum peeked his head into the room and saw his aunt over the bed. Rayla was covered from head to toe. No signs of her horns poking out. He wiped the sweat from his brows, his body relaxing.

Just as she was about to leave she noticed something beneath the bed. Something bright, like a flickering light. Callum started to panic. The unicorn underneath was trembling in fear which caused his magic to spark almost uncontrollably. Before Callum could stop her, Amaya looked down and saw the alicorn.

The creature jumped in panic and sprung from beneath the bed, past Amaya and out of the room, sparks of lightning flashing through its body. Within seconds, Gren and the rest of the troops all saw the creature running aimlessly inside the lodge, sending blasts of lightning everywhere it went.

Soren pulled Claudia and Ezran down when a lightning strike shot right over their heads, striking the wall right above the fireplace, resulting in one of the tacky portraits falling and breaking.

Amaya hurried out the door and Rayla jumped up out of her bed, still using the blanket to cover her head. Nyx also flew out of the room and charged at Amaya, shifting into her dragon form to stop her from harming the innocent creature.

“NO!” Callum and Rayla both shouted as Nyx, now latching into Amaya, tumbled down the stairs. Amaya pushed the dragon off of her.

With a threatening hiss, Nyx pulled out her staff and charged at the human general. The two fought in the living room of the lodge, Nyx slashing the air with her weapon which Amaya blocked with her shield which was as tall as her body.

When the general threw Nyx’s staff to the side with her shield, in that split second of vulnerability, she punched the dragon right below the chin, throwing her back against a wooden pillar. Amaya charged, fists at the ready.

“STOP!” Callum shouted at the top of his lungs. From his outstretched hand a wind blew in Amaya’s direction, blowing her away from Nyx. She rolled on the floor, her raven hair falling over one eye as she looked up.

Gren and the rest of the troops gasped when they saw the prince’s arms glowing... and the king’s ward with horns on her head. Rayla had dropped her blanket during the commotion and tried in vain to cover her horns with her hands.

Nyx stood still, her back pressed up against the pillar. She felt it best not to agitate the human general any further. Amaya looked up at her nephew and Rayla, then at Ezran, Soren and Claudia. The trio smiled awkwardly.

Callum’s tattoos stopped glowing and Rayla looked like she was waiting for the ground to swallow her up. The alicorn stepped out of hiding and rushed to Rayla’s side for protection.

A tiny bell went off in the kitchen. “Oh, potion’s ready!” Claudia chimed. Though, it didn’t do much to distract from the already extremely awkward pause.

Callum expected his aunt to look angry, but instead she looked as if she had seen a ghost from the past.

(~)

Claudia prepared some tea for everyone, the antidote now brewed and ready, while Callum had everyone, mostly Amaya and Gren, in the living room while the troops guarded the outside.

Callum, Rayla and Ezran sat opposite Amaya and Gren. Soren stood next to the sofa, sipping on the tea, making slurping sounds every now and again when the cup was nearly dried up, and Claudia was fiddling with her fingers or taping her feet, as if expecting somebody to start throwing stuff at any moment.

As for Nyx... Amaya tied her wrists around the wooden pillar. She refused to listen until she was confident the dragon was securely apprehended.

The talk took a lot longer than expected, with Callum wanting to get everything out in the open. He told Amaya all about how they found the heart of the dragon king, what Viren did to the king, and even included his half-faerie heritage they just recently uncovered, as well as their original plan to prepare the potion to give to Harrow, and Siveth’s orders to Nyx about returning the heart back to Xadia and, of course, about Rayla being the dragon princess Rhiannon, which was why Amaya was never able to find her family.

“And I was planning on telling you everything but then...” Callum looked to his lap, where the baby alicorn was resting his little head, staring up at Callum with big innocent blue eyes. “Well, you know.”

“There you see? We’re all friends now.” Nyx said, still trying to break free of her bindings. “Think maybe you could cut me loose now? My wrists are starting to fall asleep.”

Amaya ignored the dragon’s request, placing her cup of tea on the table in front of her. She was even more silent than normal. Unable to stand the silence, even for a short time, Callum stood up.

“I understand this is a lot to take in, and I understand how you feel about dragons and faeries, but I’m asking you, from the bottom of my heart, to please put you hatred aside for one moment.” Callum removed his jacket to show off his markings. “I’m a sylph and Rayla is a dragon, but that doesn’t change who we are. I’m still me and Rayla is still the girl you found in the forest. The girl who you swore to always protect and who you love like a daughter. And right now, she needs you.”

Amaya didn’t sign, she only stared at her nephew and then at Rayla, who looked like she was about to cry. Amaya was always a good judge of character so hearing what Viren did to her brother-in-law didn’t surprise her one bit. She always had a feeling he would crack, but in her deepest heart she prayed it never came true and that, for once, she was proven wrong. Tragically, that did not happen and for once she wasn’t so thrilled about being right.

As for Rayla, Amaya was conflicted. Dragons were always monsters in her eyes. They took her sister from her, but as she looked into Rayla’s tear filled eyes, she could see her own grief staring back at her.

The boys lost their mother. Amaya lost her sister. Rayla lost her father.

Rayla wasn’t responsible for what happened to Sarai.

She herself had warned Harrow and Viren the dangers of tampering with dark magic, and she unfairly paid the price for it. Harrow was never the same since.

The anger Amaya felt towards the dragon king, who’s heart was now within arm’s length, inside Ezran’s backpack, was still as fresh as the day Sarai’s lifeless body was found, but she felt no anger towards Rayla, only sorrow and the maternal desire to wrap her arms around the child just as she had done for the boys.

Callum was right, horns and scales aside, she was still Rayla. The same girl who stole everyone’s hearts, including her own.

Amaya gestured to Rayla to come forward. The dragon princess complied with her head hung low. Amaya rose up and reached out, lifting her chin up so they made eye contact. Amaya’s brown eyes were stern and dark. In a blink, they softened.

“ _I love you_.” She signed. She didn’t say anything else. Gren didn’t even need to translate. Amaya’s smile grew wide as the dragon princess signed back.

“ _I love you, too. If I lost you it would break my heart_.”

Amaya began to cry and she enveloped Rayla in her arms. The dragon cried against her chest, finding comfort in her arms just as she did with Siveth. The princess sobbed loudly as she held the general as though she would disappear in an instant.

Amaya felt her shaking and soothed the child by stroking her hair, right below her horns which, even Amaya had to admit, we’re beautiful with their artistic designs.

Bait hid his face with his tail, tearing up. Evie handed him a random tissue for him to blow his nose into. Even Soren tried hiding his tears by pretending to choke on air.

Amaya wiped Rayla’s tears with her thumb and Rayla held Amaya’s hand close to her cheek, soaking up the warmth and affectionate touch, happy and relieved to know that despite the past, Amaya still loved her every bit as she always has.

Amaya turned to her eldest nephew, Callum wore the biggest grin on his face, grateful to his aunt for being so understanding.

“ _As for you, young man_.” Amaya signed, this time Gren translated. “ _I was wondering when your powers would finally come in._ ”

Callum’s eyes flew open, round and wide like dinner plates. Claudia spit out the tea she was drinking right onto the carpet. Ezran quickly plucked Bait from her line of fire before he got covered in spit and tea.

“What?! How did—You... you knew? But, I thought...” Callum had to have misinterpreted that. The look of anguished regret on Amaya’s face proved that he didn’t.

“ _It’s time for me to come clean as well. I lied about never having met your father. I only told you that to keep my promise to your mother_.”

Callum’s head felt light as though he was running low on oxygen. “So it’s true... my dad really was a faerie?”

Amaya nodded, “ _Before Harrow, I had never seen her love anyone the way she loved him. I was reluctant at first but I came to care for him too. But because of what he was we had to keep his identity a secret. Your parents met during a very difficult time. Faeries were being hunted down and sold on the black market as exotic treasures to the wealthiest people around_.”

“What happened to him?” Callum’s voice trembled and he swallowed. Amaya hung her head as she signed.

“ _Our home was discovered by a band of hunters. We escaped but your father stayed behind to give us time to escape. We never saw him again. I’m sorry, Callum. I’ve wanted to tell you I just... I could never find the right time or the nerve and without your powers I wasn’t sure if you would ever believe me._ ”

“Did Harrow know?”

Amaya shook her head. Callum was paralyzed. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t think. His aunt knew all along and she kept him in the dark. Rayla sat beside him as did Ezran and Claudia. Soren kept a respectable distance but he too empathized with the prince’s grief. As someone who also lost a parent, and given recent events, Soren understood what Callum was going through. Uncovering family secrets wasn’t easy. By pure instinct, Soren’s hand reached out but quickly pulled back. He hadn’t seen Callum cry like this since the day they met.

“ _I’m sorry, Callum._ ”

“What was he like?” Callum asked, looking up, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes. He wasn’t angry, though a part of him did wish he could lash out and yell. He knew it wouldn’t change anything.

A soft smile forged on Amaya’s face. “ _You have his eyes, and his wry sense of humor._ ”

A half chuckle came out of Callum’s mouth. “What was his name.”

“ _His name was..._ ” Amaya moved her hands slowly, spelling each letter out for him. “ _T-e-n-n-i-n._ ”

“Tennin...” Callum let the name roll off of his tongue, letting the feeling of the new name sink in. After sixteen years he finally knew his name. Now he knew why it was kept secret. A name like that would have given away his true nature. “I finally know his name.”

Amaya knelt before her nephew, “ _I am so sorry, Callum. I know I should have told you sooner_.”

Callum calmly shook his head, “It’s okay.” He pushed through the shock and grief and stood up, taking a deep breath, finding his composure. “What’s important now is getting this antidote to the king. We have to go back.”

Amaya rose to her feet as well, shaking her head. “ _No. You kids are going to..._ ”

Gren paused, making sure he was interpreting that correctly, “Return the dragon heart and Rayla back to Xadia?”

“Wait, what?” Rayla said, speaking for everybody in the room.

“ _Katolis isn’t safe for any of you right now,” Amaya explained, “Viren knows you have the heart, he knows what you are, and he will stop at nothing to get it and you. I will return and give the antidote to the king, together we can stop Viren, but now you kids will be safer together and out of Viren’s reach_.”

“But, once you have the king on your side, it’ll take away Dad’s power, right?” Soren said, trying to rationalize Amaya’s reasoning.

“ _I’m sorry, Soren. I understand how you feel, but we can’t take any chances with Viren. I can’t risk letting anything happen to you. ANY of you. Rayla’s aunt told her to return the heart and that is what you will do._ ”

“We’re going to Xadia?” Ezran said. Going there was always a dream, though he wished it was under better circumstances.

“Aunt Amaya, are you sure?” Callum asked. His aunt nodded.

“ _I trust you kids. You're brave, strong and true. You’ve proven that today. I promise, I will make sure Harrow gets the antidote and that he knows you’re safe._ ”

“And my aunt?” Rayla asked.

“ _I will see to it that she is freed, and that no harm comes to her. You have my word, and my word if my bond_.”

Rayla hugged Amaya again. “Thank you!”

“Great, now that we’re all huggy-feelings and all, can somebody cut me free now?” Nyx said, ruining the moment.

Amaya still didn’t like the feel of this SkyWing, but Rayla insisted she was a friend, so Amaya complied. She pulled out a knife and hurled it at the rope, cutting her free. The knife went right above her head, narrowly missing her forehead.

“Thanks.” Nyx said with a gulp.

(~)

At twilight, the gang gathered their things and prepared for their trip to Xadia. They gathered clothes and food from the lodge, enough to last them at least a couple of weeks, seeing as it would take at least a week to make it to Xadia’s border. Getting there was the easy part, getting across it would not. They would have to figure it out as they went.

Soren leant against the wall as his sister wrapped up some cooking items for the trip.

“I’m not sure about this.” Soren said.

“Okay, if you want to eat raw meat, be my guest.” Claudia said, inspecting which cooking knife to bring. They could also double as weapons, though that was more Soren and Rayla’s department.

“No, I’m talking about us going into Xadia. The realm of the fae. There are dragons and fire people—“

“They’re called jinn.” Claudia said while nonchalantly packing her things.

“And what about those things with the bull heads!”

“Minotaurs.”

“Exactly! We might as well be heading to our own funerals.”

Claudia thumbed her now filled bag on the table, the items inside clanging against one another. “I know Dad told us those stories about how dangerous Xadia is, but he was wrong about the dragons and he was wrong about magic. Who’s to say he isn’t wrong about this too? If you want to go back to Katolis, fine. But I’m staying with Rayla and the princes.”

Claudia threw the bag over her shoulder, and Evie flew down to land on her shoulder, hissing approvingly in response to her decision.

“Claudia, I know you want to help them, I do too, but—“

“But what? You’re scared? Guess what, so am I. But what are we supposed to do? Go back home and pretend like nothing’s changed? We can’t do that, Soren. _I_ can’t do that. Despite everything that’s happened, Dad taught us both one thing: Always fight for what’s right... but unlike him, I am not willing to sacrifice my soul in the process. This is our chance to make things right for once. This...” Claudia sucked in her lips. She was finally going to say it, not only to Soren, but to herself.

“This is _my_ choice.”

Soren always knew Claudia was smart, but listening to her now, she sounded wise. This whole experience brought everything she knew deep down into perspective. As much as Soren believed they would be safer in Katolis, contrast to the obvious, he knew he couldn’t abandon her. He wouldn’t let her go on this journey alone.

He looked out the window, seeing Rayla and Callum speaking with Gren while Ezran played with the alicorn, chasing him around and laughing. He couldn’t let any of them go alone, and this wasn’t just because he had a promise to the king, but because he really didn’t want anything happening to them.

Callum and Ezran were good kids, good princes, they were brave and smart and loyal, so much so they defied Viren, the scariest man Soren knew. And Rayla, she was always a good friend. Snarky and teasing, but that was how she showed she cared, and she was always there to offer sage words of wisdom when he needed it. Now he knew where Claudia got it from. 

This all happened because Viren stole her father’s heart. Now they had to return it, and with Rayla being the dragon princess, she could make a difference in this war.

“Okay,” Soren said. Claudia was worried for a moment. Did it mean Soren was leaving or staying? She couldn’t tell. Soren turned around and Claudia felt her heart tighten in her chest... until Soren threw his bag over his shoulder.

“Let’s hit the road.”

Claudia gasped with joy and ran up to hug her brother.

(~)

After some searching, Callum finally found something to carry his staff in. It was a smaller version of the strap Nyx wore, which was used for the boy’s favorite archery game from when they were younger. Callum _always_ missed the target but Ezran always dared him to try again. At least the strap was strong enough to hold the staff.

When he walked out of the lodge, Amaya was stunned. Her nephew looked so grown up and so... happy. As tragic was the revelation of his birth father’s untimely demise was, he could finally rest easy knowing exactly who his father was. Who knows, maybe this trip to Xadia could be a way for him to connect with his roots.

Much to Rayla’s chagrin, Amaya had prepared a boat for them to take. The river was faster and safer for them right now, and it was large enough to support all five of them including their new four-legged companion, who had taken a liking to Amaya. She petted his mane to apologize for scaring him and that there were no hard feelings. She was never a unicorn fan, but she had to admit, this one was adorable.

Rayla felt like vomiting when she saw the boat gently rocking to the tranquil movement of the river.

“ _I know it’s not your ideal mode of transportation, but the farther you are from kingdom grounds the safer you will be._ ”

Rayla took a deep breath, swallowing her irrational fear, and nodded. “Okay. Oh, one more thing. When you see my Aunt Siveth, ask her... Are the stars shining tonight? She’ll know what it means.”

Amaya nodded and gave the girl one last hug before helping her on the boat. Ezran joined her, as did the unicorn. Callum faced Amaya, gripping his new strap.

“ _Take care of your brother,_ ” Amaya signed.

“I will.” Callum gave her a hug before getting on the boat. Claudia handed her the antidote.

“Be sure he drinks all of it.” Claudia said, “Also, he may feel a slight tingle in his legs, but don’t worry that’s normal.”

Amaya eyed the bottled, which looked like thick bubbly water. She was never a big fan of magic, but if Claudia said this would work then Amaya believed her. She would rather trust Viren’s children over Viren himself.

Soren bowed his head, his fist over his heart. Amaya returned the gesture and he got on the boat, causing it to rock a bit and Rayla gripped the edges with her life.

“Let’s make this quick!”

Nyx shifted into a hawk and perched herself on the head of the boat. “No hard feelings, ehh?” Amaya narrowed her eyes at the SkyWing. “Lovely meeting you too.” She flew up and gave the boat a good push.

Soren grabbed the ores and rowed them further into the river as they passed over a stone archway where troops were stationed, watching as the children drifted away. Ezran waved his aunt goodbye.

“Bye, Aunt Amaya! Tell Dad we’ll be back soon!”

Amaya waved, smiling to mask her worry. “Amaya, are you sure about this?” Gren asked, not addressing her as general as he often did. He was the only one, outside of her family, who was allowed to do that.

“ _You know I am not a superstitious person, Gren. Not like Sarai was, but she believed in the DragonHeart Prophecy and after what I have just seen, I truly believe that these children were chosen for a reason. Our future rests on them now_.”

(~)

As the group drifted further down the river, Rayla tried her best to stay as calm and relaxed as possible. The boat ride was calm and peaceful, but whenever somebody so much as flinched, she could feel the boat moving. Callum stayed by her side, helping her through her breathing exercises.

“I’m okay. I’ll be okay.” Rayla exhaled.

“Callum, do you think Dad will be okay?” Ezran asked, clenching onto his backpack which carried the dragon king’s heart inside.

“I’m sure he will. He’s got Aunt Amaya and the best guards in the kingdom.”

Ezran accepted this and opened his backpack, pulling out the box with the heart. He could hear the thumping and feel its energy even with the lid closed.

“Only the dragon heart can mend the bond.” The young prince whispered.

“What was that?” Callum asked.

“The Prophecy, remember? The one mom told us about? The DragonHeart will mend the bond torn by pride.”

Everyone looked to one another. “Ez is right,” Rayla said, “My ancestors used to believe in it too.”

Soren scoffed, “Come on, now there’s a prophecy? A guy can only take so much weirdness in one day.” He flinched and screamed when Nyx shifted back into her dragonoid form and perched herself on the side of the boat without tipping it over.

“Get used to it, Blondie. If the prophecy really is true, you’re stuck with us until we get the heart and the princess back to Xadia.”

“Nyx is right. It’s up to us now.” Callum said, taking Rayla’s hand.

“We can finally change things,” Rayla said, “We can make a difference.”

“All of us, together.” Callum felt the unicorn nuzzle against his side, “Yeah, that includes you too, Zym.”

“Aww, I don’t know about you guys, but I feel a group hug coming on.” Claudia pulled everyone into the hug but when the boat started jerking back and forth again Rayla’s nausea cut the sweet moment short and she threw her head over the side of the boat, dumping out what was left of her meal.

“Yeah, my sentiments exactly,” Nyx said, though she was referring to their mushy love fest.

(~)

Opeli tried in vain to wake him, speaking to him, saying his sons and ward were missing and that his kingdom needed him. No matter what she tried the king refused to wake.

Distraught, Opeli returned to the throne room where the high council and Viren awaited her.

“Anything?” One of the men asked.

Opeli regretfully shook her head. “The king still lives but he won’t open his eyes.”

“What will we do? If words gets out that our king is comatose, it will leave us defenseless. Who knows how Xadia will choose to retaliate?”

Viren raised his hand, silencing the anxious man. “As is written, if for whatever the reason the king is unable to resume his duties, his closest heir or advisor shall serve as regent until further notice.”

Opeli’s brows knitted together. Viren knew what he was doing. With the king under and the princes missing the role of leadership fell upon his shoulder. Opeli shared many people’s opinions about the man and her instincts told her that this would not stand. She wouldn’t allow Viren to siege the throne.

“What of the princes?” Opeli said, “Didn’t you claim your son took them to the Banther Lodge? They are still alive.”

“Do you really believe it wise to put a couple of children on the throne?”

“The law clearly states—“

“The law also states that it is the princes who must decide whether they are fit to ascend to the throne or hand it to someone they trust. Perhaps we should have the princes decide before we make any decisions.”

Viren wasn’t worried. For all he knew, the princes and his children were somewhere far, far away from here. They wouldn’t dare show their face in Katolis after what happened. Especially the king’s ward.

The large doors flew open and General Amaya walked in with a raging furry in her eyes.

“ _High Mage Viren, you are under arrest for treason against the king._ ”

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a huuuuuge shout out to Ray and Story. Story for proof reading the chapter and giving me much needed feedback, and to Ray for inspiring the idea for the name of Callum’s father. 
> 
> I saw in her deviantArt a Kaatang fantasy AU art piece where she made Katara a werewolf and Aang a Tennin. A race of spirits with feathers from Buddhist and Japanese mythology. They reminded me a lot of the sylphs from this AU so I felt it was a perfect fit.
> 
> You two were the ones who inspired me to write this story, so for that I am grateful and so exited that I get to work with you on it too! If I had Pinkie Pie’s reality breaking powers I’d reach through the screen and hug you both!
> 
> Thank you both so much, I’ll see you guys in the next chapter. The adventure is only just beginning.
> 
> God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	16. Chapter 16

The council stood still when General Amaya burst into the room, declaring Lord Viren a traitor. None dared to defy the king’s sister-in-law. Only a fool would do such a thing.

“General Amaya, what is the meaning of this?” Viren stood his ground, swallowing the anxiety that sprouted from the bottom of his stomach. Amaya was even more difficult to sway than the king himself.

“ _I ran into the princes and your children at the Banther Lodge. They told me everything._ ” Amaya signed, with Gren translating. Viren never made the effort to learn sign language, though he had become familiar with some of her signals, it wasn’t enough for him to understand her without someone else being her voice.

“I sent my children to personally escort King Harrow’s sons and his ward to the Banther Lodge,” Viren said, repeating the same lie he told Marcos.

“ _Lier_ ,” Amaya sneered, wishing she could punch the old mage where he stood, but moments like these required diplomacy, not brute force. That would come into play later. “ _You put the king under a sleeping spell._ ”

The rest of the council gasped at the accusation. Even Opeli was shocked, though not too surprised. Viren was always an opportunist, no matter what he told people.

“How dare you,” Viren’s voice was ominously low at first but grew in strength with every breath, “The king fell under a trauma induced coma. I don’t know what you’ve been told but—“

“ _I can prove it,_ ” Amaya replied, “ _Your daughter Claudia gave me the antidote. If the king isn’t under a spell then the potion will have no affect._ ”

Viren tightened his fist close to his thigh. His own daughter continued to betray him.

“Very well.” Viren said after taking a deep breath to calm his anger. “If you are so confident in these false accusations, then let us see the king.”

(~)

It was late into the night when the group finally decided they were far enough away and had found a nice, stable place to sleep. There was no way Rayla was going to be able to sleep a wink on that boat.

Soren pulled the boat halfway to shore while the others made themselves comfortable; Callum found an old log for them to rest their heads on, the base of a long since dead tree where Soren removed his cape and draped it over the green fungi growing from the log’s side.

Nyx flew up to a nearby tree and perched herself like a bird, covering herself from the neck down with her wings. She snuggled her cheeks against the warm feathers and Soren felt a twinge of envy.

His armor was designed to protect his body from sustainable injuries, and to keep his skin from freezing to death, but it couldn’t replace the comfort of a warm bed and blanket. The others seemed to be doing alright as they settled down to sleep beside the log.

Soren patrolled the area for a while before deciding to join everyone else in dreamland although it was far from a peaceful night’s sleep. He kept seeing images of his father with purple veins growing and sprouted over his entire body, his eyes black as night as he hurled one of his spheres at his guards. But when Soren looked he saw that it wasn’t the guards the magic had struck, but his sister, Callum, Ezran, and Rayla. All of them petrified, their bodies eternally frozen in a state of pure fear.

Soren begged his father to stop this madness, asking why he would do such a thing. All Viren said was “ _You failed. You were always a failure to me._ ”

By the time Soren woke up from his nightmare it was nearly dawn. Everyone else was still sound asleep and not wanting to allow his mind back to that horrific experience, he got up and walked along the river. He had trained his body to always wake up at sun rise for a pre-breakfast warm-up. It was a habit born from his years of self training before he had been old enough to officially join the other knights-in-waiting, those looking to earn their armor and swords. Just because he wasn’t in Katolis anymore didn’t mean old habits had to die.

His heart felt like a heavy brick when he remembered his home. Last time he saw the castle, it had been in flames, with dragons and knights fighting each other. Soren wished he could dismiss it all like the bad dreams, but he couldn’t. There was no going back now.

He let out a deep heavy breath and walked down to the lake, finding a nice quiet spot to train on his own. The trees were sparse around the edge giving him a perfect view of the sunrise. There was always something so poetic about the dawning of a new day. It made Soren feel alive and new within himself.

Soren pulled out his sword and started swinging it around in perfectly timed movements. He imagined an enemy coming at him and, calculating his position and space, he swung his weapon for them. Using his imagination, Soren had a one-on-one battle with his imaginary opponent. He grunted and cheered himself on, muttering a few one-liners that, in his own mind, were clever and witty.

“Like that? No? Too bad, cause I’m coming in hot. Dragon fire hot!” Soren laughed boastfully as he swung his blade and, in his mind, knocked down his opponent. “Tell your friends, there’s a new sword-master in town.”

“I’ll let him know you’re available.”

Soren jumped and swung his sword around, looking for the source of the voice. It took him half a second to recognize it then looked up, narrowing his eyes, to see the SkyWing dragon girl laughing her head off, swinging her legs below her while sitting in a tree. She twiddled her fingers towards him. “Oh, please, don’t stop on my account, sword-master.”

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be guarding the princess or something?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be guarding the royal runts?” She countered.

Soren huffed, putting his sword back into its sheath. “Hey, you will show the proper respect for the princes of Katolis.” He said, deeming his voice to sound more diplomatic.

“Forgive me, I didn’t realize ‘ _step-prince_ ’ was a term of respect where you’re from.” Nyx said, doing air quote gestures with her fingers.

“Okay yeah, he may be the king’s step-son but that still makes him an heir to the throne.” Soren surprised himself with his words. Even now, he still did occasionally call Callum ‘step-prince’ but he didn’t like hearing this dragon speak about him that way, as if he were lesser just because he…

Okay, now he understood why Rayla was so ticked off at him when he picked on Callum.

Soren cleared his throat, “And as Captain of the Crown-Guard I swore an oath to protect the royal family with my life.

“A knight of the old code, I see.” Nyx said, stretching out and lying on her stomach like a cat, her scaly dragon tail swinging back and forth in a hypnotically fashion. “I was under the assumption humans had forgotten it.”

Soren wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug grin off her face, but she wasn’t entirely wrong. Soren only knew the code because Callum kept repeating it over and over every chance he got.

“What does a dragon know of the old code anyway?” Soren huffed at her, trying to prove to her that she didn’t know as much as she looked like she did.

“ _His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His words speak only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked_.” Nyx quoted as she swooped down, wings flapping as her feet hovered above the grass before landing, swinging her hip to the left and resting her hand on it, still wearing her smug smile, which grew wider at seeing Soren’s stunned expression. “Fun fact; dragons were the ones who originally gave you humans the code. You sure have a funny way of saying ‘Thank You’.”

“Did you come all the way over here just to get on my nerves?” Soren turned away from her and knelt before the lake and splashed the cold water on his face. He didn’t want to admit that he knew that little bit of trivia. Callum might believe that Soren wasn’t paying attention but in truth he was, even if he didn’t believe half the things Callum told him, dismissing it as nothing more than wishful thinking.

“Actually, I was trying to hunt us some breakfast but your one-man show diverted me,“ Nyx staring out at the lake.

“Oh, couldn’t resist spying on me, huh?” Soren raised a sly brow while flipping his hair. “I get that a lot.” Soren fell face first into the water when Nyx wracked his backside with her tail. When he came back up he coughed as he spat out the water, his hair now completely damp.

Nyx laughed, “Who could resist such a pinnacle of gallantry and chivalry? Now zip your lip.” She stood stone still for a moment while her pupils dilated then pushed off with her wings and swooped off with breakneck speed. The speed almost made Soren fall into the water. The dragon’s hand touched the water for a split second and when she landed on the ground again, she had a live fish, wiggling in her hand, its mouth opening wider as it suffocated.

“Whoa! How did you do that?”

“Bird’s eye. All Sky creatures have it.” Nyx’s ear twitched again and she did the same trick as before. She swooped back and forth over the lake several times and snatched at fish with her claws. Within minutes, she had about ten fish in her claws and landed beside Soren again.

“Okay, I’ll admit, that is kinda impressive.” Soren said, his stomach rumbling at the sight of the fish. He could already smell it cooking.

Nyx’s shadow loomed over him and she pulled out her staff, the pointed end glistening in the sun, right above his head. Acting fast, Soren pulled out his sword.

“What are you doing?” Nyx stared at Soren like he had lost his mind.

“What are _you_ doing?”

Nyx pouted and proceeded to puncture the fish, organizing them one by one on her long staff like a kebab.

Soren blinked, feeling his face redden and he lowered his sword. “Oh... you were doing... that.”

Nyx scoffed, “I shouldn’t be surprised.” She said, swinging her staff over her shoulder and making her leave. “You are human after all.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault I grew up with stories about dragons killing and eating people.”

“Killing, maybe. But eating? Gross.”

“Then how do you explain all of those knights that were chewed up and left for dead, huh? Like the great Sir Eglamore?”

“We only chew in self defense, but we never swallow. We’re human intolerant.” Growing impatient, and annoyed with the bumbling knight, Nyx flew off with the food. Once she was gone, Soren dropped his shoulders, groaning and kicking the ground. His foot made contact with a fat tree root, and he winced in pain but bit his tongue so as to not scream.

He limped all the way back to camp.

(~)

“Breakfast!” Nyx called out, dumping all of the fish on the ground. Rayla, Callum and Zym were the first ones to wake up at the smell of raw fish. Ezran stretched and yawned, seeing the slimy pile of dead fish in front of him before recoiling in disgust while Callum and Rayla stared at the dead creatures with seemingly unresponsive expressions. Their pupils slowly dilated.

When Claudia saw one of the fish move slightly she screamed and pulled out a kitchen knife from her bag. “ _DIE!_ ” She shouted and started stabbing the fish like a psychotic maniac.

Nyx quickly yanked her away by the arm. “Hey, hey, hey! Watch it, you’re gonna pierce the liver and that’s the best part.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention my sister’s afraid of fish.” Soren explained arriving just a couple minutes before Claudia went on a murder spree.

“I’m not scared of fish! I just don’t trust anything with fish parts! Slimy, wall-eyed, unnatural—“ Claudia would have continued her rant but stopped midway when Callum and Rayla started going to town with the fish.

Rayla ripped the skin right off the fish with her sharp teeth, growling as she ate, her pupils now slits and claws piercing the liquids out of the fish’s body that dripped through her fingers.

Callum’s pupils were wide and round like a bird’s eye as he ate the fish with the same ferocity as Rayla. However, while Rayla swallowed her bites quickly like a dog, Callum hung strands of the fish over his head then swallowed them like a bird devouring worms. Zym also dug into the meal, swallowing one fish whole.

The couple looked up to see the horrified and disgusted looks coming from Claudia, Soren, Ezran and even Bait. Nyx was indifferent.

Callum swallowed, cheeks blushing and his eyes reverted to normal, “Um... I know this looks wrong...” He looked down at the half eaten fish in his hands and his eyes became like a bird’s again, “But it tastes so right!” He opened his mouth and continued eating like a wild animal.

“Did you guys want some?” Rayla asked with her mouth full. Claudia shuddered at the sight of a tiny piece of fish hanging from her lower lip.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Claudia said, covering her mouth to stop herself throwing up. Just as long as they got rid of those disgusting freaks of nature, she didn’t care.

Zym, the alicorn, held a fish in his mouth and offered it to Ezran. “Oh, that’s really sweet but I’m... fish intolerant.” He lied however Zym accepted his answer and threw the fish into the air before swallowing it whole.

Soren sighed. This was going to be a loooooooong trip.

(~)

Amaya’s strong demeanor crumpled when she saw Harrow laying on his bed, hands folded over his chest. If it weren’t for his chest rising and lowering with every breath she would have presumed he was dead. The general knelt by the king’s bedside, placing the back of her palm on his forehead. He was alive, but he felt warm, almost as if he were developing a fever.

She pulled out the antidote from her pocket and carefully opened his mouth, watching anxiously as the magical liquids went down his throat. Even when asleep, it was as if his body knew what was happening and swallowed the liquid. Amaya, Gren, Viren and the council watched and waited for the king to stir.

A couple of seconds passed. Three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten... eleven... Amaya stopped at eleven and tried shaking her brother-in-law in the hopes a good jolt would do the trick.

He did not respond. The king continued to slumber and, if she didn’t know any better, she could have sworn his fever was getting higher.

Opeli felt her hands tremble. Perhaps she had been blinded by her own dislike towards Viren that she was ready to believe that he was the one responsible for the king’s mysterious illness. Amaya fell to her knees again. Harrow didn’t wake up. This didn’t make any sense.

Viren fought the urge to smile in satisfaction as he instead laid a hand on Amaya’s armor plated shoulder, waiting for her to look at him. “I’m sorry, Amaya. Believe me, I want to see him up and about just as much as you do. But there is nothing we can do. Not even magic can wake him. The only thing that may revive him is if his sons’ safe return home.”

Seeing this, Amaya swatted his hand away from her and stood up again, glaring at the mage with tears trailing down her cheeks. “ _You will never get to the princes_.” She signed and Gren spoke aloud for her.

“We all know where they are; at the Banther Lodge.” Viren’s eyes widened for a second, “Aren’t they?”

Of course, he should have seen it sooner. If they had already told Amaya everything, then she most likely told them to escape before he could reach them. And if they were gone then so was the heart.

“Where are the princes?” Viren asked in an almost threatening tone. Amaya didn’t respond and Gren stood by her side, hand on her shoulder. Viren turned to the rest of the council. Opeli was the only one standing in defiance, matching the general and her interpreter.

Viren was literally caught between a rock and a hard place. He had little to no evidence to make it appear that Amaya was a traitor, only that she had been tricked.

“Amaya, where... are... the princes!”

“ _Gone_ ,” Amaya signed, “ _Away from you,_ ”

“Are you insane?! How could you let the princes escape!”

“Perhaps we should send out a search party,” suggested one of the council members, a dark-skinned man by the name of Saleer.

“No!” Gren shouted just as Amaya signed it with her hands while shaking her head. “ _Please you have to believe me,_ ”

“We saw it with our own eyes,” said Viren, “Your so-called ‘antidote’ was a fraud. I don’t know what game my children are playing but it’s clear that they managed to delude you as well.” He turned to Saleer, “Send out a search party for the Banther Lodge. The princes must be found.”

Amaya reached to grab Viren by the collar. She had tried the diplomatic route and now it was time for brute force. However, Viren had the guards move in to shield him from Amaya’s wrath.

“As for you, General. Perhaps some rest will clear your mind. You are clearly not thinking straight.”

“ _You have no authority here, Viren_.”

“As the king’s chief advisor, I have authority until further notice. We shall wait for the princes to decide that, won’t we?”

Amaya turned to Opeli, knowing she was the only one with any real sense. Opeli was silent at first but then bowed to Viren, which horrified Amaya. “I shall take the General to her chambers to rest.” She said while giving Amaya a small nod that allowed the general to pick up on the subtle message so she complied and joined Opeli outside, along with Gren, leaving Viren to believe he had won.

Once they were further down the hallway, Opeli stopped and looked behind her to make sure they weren’t being followed.

‘ _Now explain to me what is going on here_.’ Opeli signed, using her use of the language to their advantage.

Amaya recited what happened. ‘ _I ran into the boys and Lady Rayla at the Banther Lodge and they explained to me how Viren used one of Claudia’s potions to put the king under. I told them to leave Katolis as quickly as they could. It was the only way to keep them safe from Viren.’_

_‘I understand your reasoning General Amaya, and as much as I hate to agree with Viren he is right. You shouldn’t have allowed the boys to leave without protection.’_

_‘They’re with Soren and Claudia, we can trust them.’_

Opeli had known Amaya for years, she had even leant her language so they could talk. She was noble and honest, always loyal to the crown, but today and after what she had just witnessed, she was confused over what she should believe. She didn’t doubt Amaya’s intentions, but her reasonings weren’t adding up. Also, if the potion was supposed to work then why didn’t it?

‘ _Are you sure we can?_ ’ Opeli signed while frowning. ‘ _What if they’re in league with Viren as well?_ ’

Amaya knew that wasn’t the case. Claudia had told her and Gren all about how Viren had killed her snake sprite friends to finish his petrifying spell, and how he turned four of Soren’s knight companions into stone. She had seen the hurt in their eyes; they were telling the truth and she saw them head out with the boys and Rayla. If they were in league with Viren they would have tried to escape by now, not leave in a hurry with the boys and the dragon heart.

She wished she could explain everything to Opeli, but she knew it would take a lot of convincing to make the young council member believe that the boys were trying to deliver the dragon heart to Xadia and that Rayla was really the dragon princess. There was only one other person who could help them now.

“ _I wish I could explain to you everything, but I need you to trust me right now. I assure you, the princes are safe and I am doing everything I can to wake up King Harrow._ ”

It still wasn’t adding up, but Opeli would rather believe Amaya than Viren any day. There was something peculiar going on and she knew it. She gave a small nod and moved her hands slowly. ‘ _Alright. What do you need me to do?_ ’

“ _There is a prisoner I need to see._ ”

(~)

“I can’t believe I ate raw fish.” Callum was curled up, his back against the log, hugging his legs close to his chest. “And it was _sooo_ good.”

Rayla patted his back, “It’s okay, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. This is all perfectly normal. Well, normal for a sylph, anyway.”

“Does this mean I’m going to start craving worms now?”

“Well, they are packed with nutrients and protein,” Rayla laughed, though Callum didn’t seem to like the idea of eating bugs. He buried his face into his arms. “I’m kidding! You don’t have to eat worms if you don’t want to.”

“Not helping, Rayla.” Ezran said, eating his peanut butter and banana sandwich along with Claudia, who shared with Evie and Bait.

“Listen, I know this is all a little scary but—“

“Scary?” Callum looked up, seemingly happier, “Are you kidding? Being a faerie is amazing! Everything about my life that never made sense before finally does. I guess I just wasn’t expecting some of the, um...” Callum scratched his neck, “More bird-related parts is all.”

Rayla giggled at his enthusiasm. “Actually, there are some benefits to being part bird. For starters, you’ll be able to see a lot more than you could before, you’ll be able to communicate with much more powerful sky creatures like gryphons and perytons. And best of all—wait for it—grow your own pair of wings!”

Callum couldn’t contain his excitement. Wings! Actual wings to be able to fly above the clouds. It was a dream come true.

“Wings? Really? But, wait, are you sure? I’m still half human, and aside from my markings I don’t look very fae-like.” Callum rubbed his fingers around his rounded ears. All faeries had pointed ears, but his weren’t. “And most sylphs are born with wings.”

“True, but you also weren’t born with your markings and..” Rayla gestured to his arms, which were covered his the sleeves of his jacket, “Here they are. Your powers are still starting to kick in, just give it some time. You’ll see.”

Callum pulled his sleeve back to see his markings, each time he saw them they became more incredible, but he had to keep them hidden in case they ran into any humans along the way. Still, it would be nice to have them out in the open, just to get a feel of what it would be like to not hide his heritage.

“Too bad the old texts didn’t have much to say about halflings.” Callum said, pulling his sleeve back down.

“There hasn’t been a halfling in decades.” Nyx said as she approached them. “And if there were, they were most likely kept secret to avoid confrontation from either sides.”

Callum hung his head. He wondered how his parents’ lives had been like before. His mother always had a fond look in her eyes when she told him the human and faerie love story, so they must have been happy. Callum was fortunate for Harrow and happy to have Ezran, and he never doubted his stepfather’s love for his mother. Still, now that he knew what happened to his father, a part of him wished they hadn’t faced the persecution which led to them being separated to begin with.

Rayla gave his hand a squeeze. As always, her smile was enough to lift his spirits. With everything that’s happened so far, he was lucky to have her around to help him through this very big transformation from ordinary human prince to, semi-ordinary faerie-human hybrid prince.

“Then it’s a good thing I’ve got two dragons to help me figure it out.” Callum said.

“Say what now?” Nyx said, taking a step back.

“You’re a SkyWing, and Rayla is a Celestial Dragon. If anyone can help me with my powers it’s you guys.” Callum said then picked up on the uncomfortable air that suddenly took hold. Rayla worriedly turned to Nyx, who’s ears lowered like a saddened puppy’s and her wings tucked in as though she were trying to hide inside of them.

“Uh, we should probably get going.” Rayla said, helping Callum to his feet.

“Good thinking, princess.” Nyx said, happy to have dodged the uncomfortable subject. “The sooner we return you and the king’s heart to Xadia the sooner this war can end and the sooner I can retire to Silver Shoals. Let’s hit the road.”

Zym jumped up, prancing around excitedly, almost knocking Soren off his feet as he stacked their belongings into the boat.

“Okay, little unicorn… bird...thing. Nice knowing you but we gotta get a move on.” Soren squatted and petted the sad alicorn’s head. “Maybe you’ll find your herd or a nice stable to sleep in while you’re at it.”

“Soren, we can’t leave him.” Ezran rushed to Zym, hugging his neck. The alicorn was big enough for Ezran to ride on.

“He’s a wild animal, he’ll be right at home in the wild.” Soren felt a tug on his cape, nearly choking him, turning to see who it was.

It was Claudia and she didn’t look happy. “Soren! How can you be so heartless? He’s just a baby.”

“He’s gonna get bigger,”

“Great, we’ll have an extra pair of wings if we need a ride.”

“We have too many pets.”

“Evie is not a pet! She’s a companion.”

“There’s too many mouths to feed already.”

“Well, let’s see what the princes have to say about it.” Claudia nodded to the brothers, Ezran gave Callum the puppy eyes, but there was no need for it.

“Of course Zym is coming with us.” Callum said, petting the alicorn who nuzzled against his waist. “He already lost one family, he’s not losing another.”

“What kind of name is Zym anyway?” Soren said, frustrated.

“Short for Azymondias. He told me.” Callum said with a shrug.

“He... told you?”

“Sky faeries can communicate with all creatures of the sky,” Rayla explained.

Soren rubbed his forehead, feeling a migraine coming on. It was bad enough that they were going to Xadia, the last place on the planet he ever wanted to go, but now he had to deal with dragons, and faeries and now a unicorn that could talk to the step-prince.

Knowing he was outnumbered—unfortunately—he accepted defeat turning to the boat once more.

“Fine, whatever. Do what you want. Let’s just get going. The faster we get to Xadia the sooner this war can be over and everything can go back to normal.”

“Uh, actually, why don’t we walk from here?” Callum suggested.

Rayla blushed at her boyfriend’s chivalry, and as tempting as it was to not take the boat again it was heading in the right direction and would get them there faster than they could on foot. Amaya’s orders came to mind. The farther they were from Katolis the safer the heart would be. They were far enough already, but Rayla couldn’t take any chances. This was her father’s heart they were protecting, and given how unstable things were between the human kingdoms and Xadia, Rayla had to return home and warn her mother before things got even more out of hand.

“No, that’s really sweet Callum, but it’ll take too long. The farther we get from Katolis the safer it will be for us and the heart.”

“Are you sure?”

Rayla scoffed, flicking her wrist, “Please. I’m a strong, independent dragon warrior princess. I can handle one wee little boat ride.”

.....Five minutes later.........

“I can’t take it anymore! How much longer ‘til we reach land?”

“We haven’t moved yet.” Soren said. Everyone else was still outside of the boat while Rayla was the only one on it, clenching to the side for her dear life... the boat itself was still in the same position and hadn’t drifted off yet.

Rayla groaned.

(~)

Once away from the meeting, Opeli gave Amaya the set of keys that could open every jail door in the dungeon which was useful since Amaya knew these walls front to back, including the restricted ones designed for only the most devious and vile of criminals. Viren had full access to this chamber, but now so did Amaya. As far as Viren knew, Amaya wasn’t even aware of the dragon being there. Meanwhile Opeli had guards watch the front so Amaya and Gren could go in without interruptions.

Amaya took a deep breath as she inserted the key into the keyhole. If someone told her she would one day be going to help a dragon she would call them insane... and then maybe punch them in the nose.

She tried reminding herself that this was Rayla’s aunt, the family she had lost once. But she was also the sister of the dragon that had killed her sister... and then her brother was killed by her brother-in-law. It was such a twisted, roundabout truth. A cycle that went round and round like a wheel with little promise to ever stopping.

Callum was right, this cycle needed to end.

Sensing her uncertainty, Gren stepped over to her and tucked a stray lock of raven hair behind her ear, expressing his support with a soft smile. Amaya smiled back. Gren always had a way of making her worries melt away.

She swallowed her pride and turned the keyhole, pushing the door inwards.

In the middle of the chamber was the humanoid dragon, her wings gone and her tail laid limply on the stone floor while her skin and scales looked dry and white hair a tangled mess. When she looked up, she growled and her claws curled inwards into fists and she tried to get up but when she pulled on the chains they glowed red and burned her wrists. Viren had enchanted the shackles so she couldn’t use her dragon strength to escape.

Amaya couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the dragon. Her wings were gone and she probably thought her niece was dead too. The human saw her own grief and anger reflected in her lilac eyes—the same eyes as Rayla—and it became slightly easier to push through the thickness of her hatred towards dragons. Just slightly.

“You can tell your mage any attempt to torture me is futile.” Siveth hissed. With her mouth covered Gren signed her dialogue for Amaya.

 _I’m not here to torture you_ , Amaya signed with Gren speaking on her behalf. _I came to ask you a question... are the stars shining tonight?_ She saw the way the dragon’s eyes widened, as though visiting an old memory that brought both surprise and tragedy.

 _Are the stars shining tonight?_ Amaya repeated and Gren spoke for her.

Siveth hung her head. “No. No souls glitter in this darkness.”

Gren signed her words and Amaya felt her heart ache at the sadness in her interpreter’s eyes. Gren was a very empathetic man, he had a gift for effortlessly reflecting the emotions and intentions of those around him.

“Rhiannon, is she...”

 _She’s alive_ , Amaya signed, _And the heart is safe. She and the boys are on their way to Xadia as we speak_.

“The princes? They’re with her?”

 _My nephews, you can trust them. Also, one of them is half-faerie_. Amaya couldn’t help but smile with pride at this fact.

“A halfling? How?” Siveth couldn’t believe it; there hadn’t been a human halfling in generations.

 _Well, you see when a human woman and a faerie man love each other very much—_ Amaya couldn’t hide her smile and amusement, but pulled back in horror when the dragon lunged at her, the shackles burnt her wrists and she fell to her knees in pain.

Once she’d recovered, Amaya nodded. _We’re going to get you out of here,_

“How? These shackles are enchanted. Unless you know some releasing spell I doubt—“ Siveth was silenced when Amaya walked over to her casually and unlocked the shackles with one of the keys then swung the key ring around her finger as the glowing red shackles fell to the floor.

“Magic isn’t the answer to everything, you know.” Gren said, no doubt voicing what Amaya was most likely thinking and Amaya nodded in approval as Siveth rubbed her burnt wrists then pulled the metal clasp off her face.

Once free, she rubbed her cheeks and found herself being relieved to be able to smell something besides metal. The stench of the dungeon wasn’t pleasant, but at least she was free.

Amaya offered Siveth her hand, but the dragon ignored it and picked herself up. “I have a suspicion you didn’t release me out of the goodness of your heart.”

The general ignored the insult and proceeded with the rest of her plan, _From what I understand, dragons know a lot about magic, correct?_

“I am a direct descendant of the Tuatha De Dannan, the first dragons. Children of our matriarch Queen Danu, instated by the Great Draco himself... so basically, yes.”

_Good, because I’m going to need that expertise._

Suddenly Siveth reached for both Amaya and Gren, grabbing them by the collars and crashing their backs against the wall forcefully snarling in their faces. “You may have freed me, and you may have spared my niece but that doesn’t eradicate the injustice your family did to mine.”

Amaya wanted to slap her scaly face for saying that. Her family wasn’t so innocent either. But she held back and moved her hands carefully. _You’ve got a lot of nerve accusing my family of injustice._

“Your king killed my brother! Left his wife a widow and his daughter without a father! You expect me to forgive that so easily?“

 _I lost someone too that day_. Amaya paused before continuing. This was the most painful reason of them all. _My sister, Queen Sarai._

Taking a moment to think, Siveth eventually released Amaya and Gren. She hadn’t used too much pressure to suffocate them, but they still rubbed their necks from the pressure. “Your sister?” Siveth took a step back. She remembered the name, the name that would forever haunt her brother’s memories.

Should she help this human or fulfill her mission and serve justice. She dared to look at the woman who communicated with her hands, and she could see the grief and anguish in her eyes. Her nephews were helping her niece to return the heart, and one of them was half-faerie. But how could she tell if she was telling the truth?”

Amaya nodded to her. _I’m not asking you to forgive me and my family, but if we don’t work together both of our kingdoms could be in grave danger. All I ask is that we put aside our past to secure a future for our families._

“How can I know for sure you won’t turn on my niece?”

_I am a knight of the old code. A code your people instated for us to follow._

“The old code?” The dragoness scoffed. “That’s nothing more than a memory now.”

 _Not to me. My sister believed in it, as does my nephew. And so do I._ Amaya showed her the now empty vial Claudia gave her. _The dark mage put a sleeping spell on the king. This was supposed to wake him up but it didn’t work._

Amaya handed Siveth the now empty vial and sniffed the trace remains inside. “Whoever concocted this mixture is quite skilled in the old methods.” Siveth muttered, wanting to refuse to help. Why should she help the king who murdered her brother? The man deserved to remain in an unconscious state. At least there he could do no more harm. She didn’t care that this human had freed her and spared her niece. Her battle was not with her, but with the king.

“Thank you for releasing me, but unlike my niece I am not so merciful. The death of my brother eradicated any shred of mercy I have left to give. If you wish for my help, then you will have to kill me.”

Amaya didn’t want it to come to this, but Siveth left her no choice. She reached for Siveth’s wrist and, in a swift movement, she clasped the enchanted shackle around her wrist, which glowed red once it was around her. Siveth growled and aimed to use her fire, but the shackle sensed her magic and burned her skin.

Gren didn’t like this, and he could tell Amaya didn’t want to resort to this, but there was no other way. Amaya pulled on the enchanted chain, making the dragon hiss in pain.

_Unless you want your hand burnt off, you will cooperate._

“Typical humans. Nothing but empty shells with no souls!” She hissed furiously.

Amaya tapped her lips, showing that what she had to say next was only for her commander. _She’s making it really hard for me to not hate her_ , Amaya signed.

“My people are inherently capable of understanding different dialects. Including those that don’t require speech.” Siveth said, wearing a smug smile that made Amaya wish she could clasp the enchanted shackle around her neck.

Amaya rolled her eyes in frustration. Of course, now she couldn’t sign behind her back. Yep, she was making it really difficult to tolerate.

(~)

The boat glided through the river, bypassing beautiful landscapes. The sun had reached its peak in the middle of the sky as Soren rowed the boat while everyone else relaxed. Rayla laid her head on Callum’s lap, looking directly at the sky while Nyx had chosen to stretch out her wings for a bit, flying alongside several birds.

Evie fluttered about, snatching nearby flies before the frogs could get to them. When Nyx perched herself back on the boat, she was intrigued to see the dark mage so chummy with the snake sprite.

She had heard rumors about how mages would use their wings and scales for their potions and spells, but this mage and her snake sprite looked like they were attached at the hip.

While Zym spread his wings for a bit to fly above the boat, careful not to drift too far away, Bait stuck his tail in the water, his body glowing a bright magenta, until Zym hurried down and pulled him back onto the boat, whinnying with worry.

“Bait, you know you’re not supposed to play in the water,” Ezran said sternly as he held the glow toad up. Bait croaked at the alicorn, who was only looking out for the grumpy toad. There were a lot of giant fish around this lake, he didn’t want his new friend to become fish food.

“Bait loves the water but he should be afraid of it,” Callum said to Nyx as Zym sat next to him, nuzzling Rayla’s cheek. “You wanna know why he’s named ‘Bait’?”

“Don’t care.” Nyx groaned out as she leant on the side of the boat, rolling her eyes and resting her chin on her hand.

“Go ahead, tell her anyway,” Rayla urged her boyfriend with a mischievous glint in her eye, with Nyx cringing in pain.

“Okay. It’s kind of a sick joke, I guess.” Callum said, seemingly getting a kick of ruffling the SkyWings feathers. Nyx decided that she liked it better when he was running away from her. “Glow toads are apparently...,” Callum paused to make sure that Bait wasn’t listening and whispered for effect, “ _Delicious...”_

Nyx looked just about ready to puke like Rayla did the previous night. “I don’t want to know about humans and your eating habits.”

“No, no, _we_ don’t eat them. Deep sea fishermen use them to catch giant fish, stuff like that. That’s why he’s named ‘Bait’.” Callum laughed to himself. “Get it? It’s my stepdad’s sick sense of humor. But yeah, that’s why we have to be extra careful about him not getting in the water.”

Nyx stared at Callum, unamused and then at the princess, who’s eyes were still glued to the sky even while she laughed at Callum’s story.

“Guys, he doesn’t know how delicious he is,” Ezran said, holding a finger to his lips to shush everyone. Bait turned his head to Ezran. “And that’s how the noodle got its name,” he said, and the glow toad gave him a suspicious glare. Though with his non-changing grumpy expression it was a little hard to tell.

Nyx rolled her eyes yet again and commanded her attention to the water, spotting Soren’s reflection right next to hers. No matter where she turned she could not escape the humans she had been forced to join on this quest.

“Come on, Naimi. It was a little funny.” Rayla said, still looking up at the sky, her head comfortably on Callum’s lap.

“Who’s Naimi?” Soren picked up on it quickly.

“My name.” Nyx replied.

“I thought your name was Nyx.”

“My true _draconic_ name is Naimi-Selari-Nykantia. Only my friends call me Nyx,” she then muttered under her breath, “At least they would if I had any other friends.”

“What?” Soren asked.

“Nothing, just—“ she grabbed his chin and turned his head back to face forward, “Keep your eyes on the river. If we crash and die I’m blaming you.”

Soren growled and continued rowing the boat. He wasn’t happy about being around her anymore than she was.

(~)

Though Siveth was released from the dungeon, she was still a prisoner as the deaf human woman and her male companion were careful to move her without being seen. Whenever a guard approached, they would quickly hide and wait until it was all clear once more.

They arrived at the king’s bedchamber, which was currently being guarded by two soldiers. Fortunately Gren was able to fabricate a lie about how they were expected in the training hall by General Amaya. The two guards bought it and once they were gone, he signaled to Amaya that the coast was clear.

She yanked on Siveth’s chain as they walked into the room despite feeling guilty over forcing the dragon to corporate, but there were few options available to her right now and the stubborn dragon wasn’t going to help them willingly. Though Amaya had to admit, if she were in her position, she would be reluctant to help the creatures that killed her older sibling as well.

As Siveth approached the king, her desire for vengeance nearly consumed her; she growled hungrily, her pupils becoming slits and the number of scales on her skin multiplied, her claws becoming more prominent and larger in size. She looked ready to shift into her primal form but was stopped by the enchanted shackle.

Amaya pointed to the king, ordering her to inspect him. “How do you know I won’t bite his ear off once I get too close?”

 _Try it_. Amaya warned. Siveth looked down at her wrist and her features returned to normal. Her claws shrunk down to perfectly manicured nails and her scales became faded across her skin.

Once her inner beast was under control, she leant over the king, fighting hard against her instincts and slowly opened his mouth, sniffing his breath and gasped, backingaway as though a scorpion would leap out and sting her.

“Dark magic!” she hissed, “Your king has been bewitched. That’s why your antidote didn’t work.”

Amaya tightened her fists. Viren did this. He was prepared beforehand.

“There are the benefits that come from thinking ahead,”

Gren and Siveth turned around at the voice and on seeing them, Amaya did too, saw Viren standing in the doorway.

(~)

“You doing alright?” Callum asked, tickling Rayla’s ear. They were so adorably pointy and the way they flickered according to her mood made his heart melt. He always thought dragons as frightening and majestic and he had never imagined they would be adorable as well.

“Yeah. So long as I stare directly at the sky and the birds I don't care about the water below me.” as a couple birds flew by, her smile wavered. “Though I can’t say I don’t envy my winged brethren.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get your wings back before you know it.”

Rayla smiled dreamingly, “It would be good to spread my wings again.”

“What’s it like? Being able to fly?”

“Mmm. Like nothing can hold you back. Doesn’t matter what form you're in, flying is the most incredible feeling in the world.”

“It sounds amazing,” Callum said, already imagining what it would be like to soar above the clouds, especially with Rayla. If it really was as amazing as she said then he couldn’t wait until his own wings grew in. He really hoped it would be soon. Every time he saw a bird take flight, he felt almost compelled to do the same. His human limits always stopped him, but who knows, maybe when he least expected it, when the moment truly came for it, his wings would appear and he would soar high above the clouds. After all, in most stories the hero or heroine find their truest strength when pushed to their limits.

“As if you didn’t have your head in the clouds enough already.” Soren said.

“Is he always this grumpy?” Nyx said.

“I think he’s just hangry.” Claudia said, “That’s when you’re really hungry that you get angry.”

“I know what _hangry_ means.”

“I’m not hangry!” Soren said, stomping his foot like an irritated child. “It’s just...” Soren couldn’t tell everyone that he was frustrated. Frustrated with everything that was going on and how much he didn’t want to go to Xadia. He wanted to go back home and have everything return to normal. Was that so wrong? “It’s just that this river goes on forever.”

“I have an idea,” Ezran said, raising his hand up. “Why don’t we play five questions?”

“I’d rather have this guy skin me alive,” Nyx said, pointing her thumb at Soren.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Soren!” Claudia exclaimed.

“She started it!” Soren pointed back at Nyx, who then whacked him with his tail. “Ow!”

This was the final straw for Rayla and she sat upright, fighting back her nausea and let out a growl. “Enough! Both of you!” Rayla gasped, breathing in and out sharply. Moments like these proved just how effective years of royal lessons really were in time like these. Princess Rhiannon had been taught almost from breath how to be a peacemaker amongst the different elemental fay of Xadia. Humans, at their core, weren’t so different.

“Ezran’s right, maybe a game could help take our mind off of things.”

Soren and Nyx sighed at the same time, hanging their heads before saying “Fine.” in near total unison.

Rayla positioned herself next to Callum once more, hoping the questions would distract her from the water. “Okay. Ezran, since this was your idea who don’t you go first?

Nyx rolled her eyes and threw her head back, wishing she was dead. Of all of them to ask the first question, it had to be the kid. Kids were notorious for asking a _lot_ of questions.

Ezran eagerly sat in a lotus position with Bait nestled around his legs. “Alright. My first question is for Nyx.” The SkyWing grimaced. “How did you and Rayla meet each other?”

“First of all, her name is Rhiannon, and second I really don’t—“ Nyx regretted turning her head to scold him because she was met with something far worse than a ten foot chimera... the young prince was giving her the unbeatable puppy dog eyes.

His blue eyes shimmered with sickeningly sweet innocence. Outside of shining things, Nyx’s other great weakness was children. As annoying as they could be, they could also be heartbreakingly cute.

Nyx bit her bottom lip, her fangs digging into her skin, almost drawing blood. Even the glow toad was giving her the look. She gave in with a deep sigh, as though she were holding her breath.

“Fine. We met at a FireWing wedding.” She said. Silence followed and Ezran waited for more.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. I answered the question, and that technically one counts as a second one, and I’m done playing. Ouch!” Nyx hissed at the feel of her tail being yanked.

She only stopped when she saw it was the princess that was yanking on it, looking at her with a disappointed look. “Come on, Nyx. Tell the boy how it really went down.”

Nyx pulled her tail back, her nostrils flaring, creating a mini wind that made her bangs go up. “It’s true, we did meet at a wedding.”

“Yeah, but you weren’t there just for the cake, were you?” Rayla raised a sly brow.

Claudia rubbed her hands in a maniacal fashion, “Ooooh, mysterious backstory. I love it.” At that, Evie used her tail to pull out a bag of corn kernels from Claudia’s bag, which were popped by a heating spell she invented. The freshly popped corn, with liquid butter drizzled onto them, was sealed up in a bag and Claudia ate it with restless interest, waiting for the rest of Nyx’s tale.

She shared her buttered heated expanded corn with Ezran.

Nyx found there undivided attention rather.... flattering. Even the Sylph boy seemed highly intrigued even if he was trying not to show it. “Well, alright. If you really want to know about the harrowing tale of Nyx the Wander, allow me to enthrall you.”

Soren rolled his eyes at the dragon’s sudden change in dramatics as he continued to row the boat.

“See, I was once a wandering nomad on a pilgrimage across Xadia, going only wherever the wind took me. One day, it just so happened to have taken me to a grand soiree in the FireWing kingdom. The marriage between Prince Rajesh and Princess Jamila. Very A-list event, so naturally anybody who was anybody was in attendance.”

“So how did you get in?” Ezran asked, tossing one of Claudia’s expanded corn into his mouth. “Also, that counts as a third question.”

“She didn’t get into the party. She crashed it trying to steal from the royal treasure trove during the wedding vows.” Rayla explained, folding her arms.

Nyx’s cheeks turned a darker shade of blue. “Hey, the kid was asking me the question!”

“Yeah, but you have a tendency to ‘embellish’ the truth.” Rayla said, doing air quote gestures. 

“You’re a thief?” Soren turned around, staring at Nyx with surprise. “That’s... no, actually that kind of makes perfect sense.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Blondie.” Nyx said, her tail swishing. “But yeah, I admit I made some... _questionable_ choices back in the day, but who hasn’t?”

“What were you trying to steal anyway?” Callum asked, glossing over the fact that Nyx was once a thief.

“The FireWing king’s greatest treasure. The fire ruby.”

“Clever,” Soren muttered sarcastically under his breath.

“A rather small trinket, but a gluttonous jinn offered me a hefty bargain if I retrieved it for his collection. My savings were running a little dry so I took the offer. I was close to getting my claws on it until the princess here showed up.”

“Did you take her to jail?” Ezran asked with concern.

“That was the plan,” Rayla replied, “Nyx managed to give me the slip but I tracked her down across the midnight desert.”

“Managed to strike me right between my wings and I fell like a rock out of the sky.” Nyx said, “What’s worse, I landed in the middle of a Soul Fang nest.”

Claudia gasped, “I’ve read about soul fangs! Venomous snakes that can literally eat your soul with one bite, leaving their victims’s bodies into barely living husks!” Evie trembled and hid inside her bag. Soul fangs were distant relatives of hers but they weren’t the type of family one would want to meet in person. Ever.

“Yeah, and I would have been one too if the princess hadn’t swooped in and saved my scaly hind.”

Claudia spit out an expanded corn from her mouth, which ricocheted off the back of Soren’s head. “You went up against soul fangs?!” The mage exclaimed, shocked and amazed and ignoring her brother’s annoyed look as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Rayla blushed. She remembered that night vividly. Nyx was hit, her wings were strained and she couldn’t fly out of there. The soul fangs had popped out from under the sands, hissing at their cornered prey. Nyx pleaded for the princess to help. With the recovered ruby in her claws, Rayla spiraled down and landed right in the middle of the nest, protecting Nyx with her large tail and in her primal form, Rayla had bitten off the heads of the soul fangs, slashing and splitting them in two with her claws and wings. Their fangs couldn’t penetrate her hardened scaly body. Even then, they could have got a lucky shot.

“Well I couldn’t just leave her to die.” Rayla said, playing with a strand of hair with her finger.

“Whoa...” Callum stared at Rayla with hearts in his eyes. Rayla risked her life to save someone even after they had committed a crime. Her heart was just that big and selfless. She was every bit the same girl he met six months ago. “I always knew you were amazing but... wow.”

“So what did you do with Nyx?” Soren asked, genuinely interested in the story, especially the part about how Rayla saved a criminal’s life just because. If Soren had been in her place he... actually, he wasn’t sure what he would have done. He thought back to that night when Nyx chased him in the forest and backed down when she had him in his clutches. Did she pick that up from Rayla?

“I gave her two options,” Rayla continued, “She could either return the ruby and turn herself in. Or, she returns the ruby but instead of going to jail she came to work for me and my family.”

Nyx frowned, “I lost a ruby, but I did land myself a cushy job at the royal palace of the Tuatha De Dannan.” She slung her arm around Rayla’s shoulder, pulling her in for a half sided hug. “And Rhin and I have been inseparable ever since, right?”

Callum chuckled, “Rhin?”

“ _Inseparable_ is a bit of a stretch, but I admit you never get bored with her around.” Rayla said, though Nyx took that as a compliment and hugged her tighter.

Ezran and Claudia “aww’ed”, the bag of expanded corn nearly half finished. Zym whinnied in agreement with their sentiment.

“That was a really sweet story.” Ezran said.

“Only a true friend would save you from a deadly venomous pest.” Claudia said, recalling the time Rayla saved her from getting stung by a scorpion. 

Soren raised a hand, “Can I ask another question? Why didn’t you just go full dragon and bite their heads off or something?” Soren said. Hearing this caused Nyx to stiffen and her ears to drop.

“I was hurt! I didn’t have the energy, okay!” Nyx hissed, looking just about ready to pounce on the knight.

“Okay, okay, calm down. It was just a question.”

“Can we play something else?” Nyx huffed and sat back down, curling up in her wings as though wanting to hide away from the world. Her response to Soren’s question raised a few concerns. Rayla knew the reason but she didn’t speak a word out of respect for Nyx’s privacy.

Soren then noticed that the waters were moving a lot faster than they were a second ago. “Uh, follow up question: Is it just me or is the boat moving a little faster?” Soren pulled his ore out of the water, dripping wet, and the boat carried forward, the speed accelerating.

Rayla didn’t like the sound of that. The water really was moving fast. Too fast.

“Soren, pull the boat over!” Rayla ordered, pulling back in terror against Callum.

“I don’t think there’s time.”

“Pull over!”

“I’m on it.” Nyx flew up and tried pushing the front of the boat back.

“Zym, help her.” Callum told the alicorn. Zym flew out and grabbed a rope from the front of the boat with his teeth, pulling on it. Rayla was hyperventilating while Callum and Ezran tried calming her down and Claudia used the second ore to try and push the boat to shore. There were too many rocks around them and the shore was too far away and the rocks were too steep for them to hold onto.

“There are too many rocks! We can’t get to shore!” Claudia shouted, but Nyx kept pushing the boat back against the rapid current. Even with her draconic strength and Zym’s help it wasn’t enough. The current kept pushing against her.

“If there was ever a good time to turn into a dragon now would be it” Soren shouted, trying in vain to turn the boat around with the ore.

“Not the time, Blondie!” Nyx growled, then got an idea. “Midnight, you got anotherrope?”

“It’s Claudia, and yes.” Claudia grabbed a long rope from her bag and tossed it to Nyx.

“What are you doing?” Soren asked, eyes wide with terror.

Nyx ignored his question and proceeded to tie the rope to the head of the boat and told Zym to stop pulling.

“Forgive me, Princess.”

“What?!” Rayla exclaimed and Nyx grabbed the end of the rope and flapped her wings, heading straight ahead towards the rapid waters.

“Hold on tight, everyone!”

“ _NYX! I’M GONNA KILL YOU!!_ ” Rayla shouted at the top of her lungs as a waterfall came up ahead. With a mischievous glint in her eye, Nyx flew over the waterfall, flapped her wings creating a gust of wind that hoisted the boat into the air, away from the rapid waters. Rayla steadied her breathing and dared to look over the boat. The crazy SkyWing had created a mini tornado to hoist the boat into the air. The group was soaring above the water that crashed against the rocks and past the waterfalls. From above they could see the wide range of forests surrounding the area.

Nyx held onto the rope tied to the boat and laughed as everyone went from screaming in terror to laughing in awe.

“We’re flying! We’re really flying!” Callum cheered, the wind in his hair as the birds flew by. Moments before they had been talking about the wonders of flying, and now he was experiencing at least a small glimpse of it. Claudia’s hair billowed in the wind and Ezran stood on his feet, waving his hands in the air while cheering.

Soren was covering his eyes. He snuck a peek through his fingers and seeing the reaction from everyone believed it was safe to look now. He saw the boat flying above the water and, he had to admit, it was pretty cool.

(~)

 _You won’t get away with this._ Amaya signed with Gren repeating it aloud.

“You speak as if I took pleasure in any of this,” Viren said. He was being somewhat honest. He didn’t enjoy seeing Harrow asleep, but if he had any chance of setting things right he needed the stubborn monarch out of it.

_You poisoned him. You lied and you drove the princes and your own children away._

“He’s not poisoned! He is merely in a sleep-like state. His body and his brain are, for lack of a better term, frozen. And he will remain this way until the princes have returned.”

_You may have others fooled but you don’t fool me! You wanted Harrow out of the way so that you could secure the throne for yourself. You don’t want the boys to return, you want them gone._

“How dare you! I’m doing everything in my power to secure their safety! You’re the one who let them escape with that traitorous dragon.”

 _I never mentioned a traitorous dragon, Viren._ ” Amaya signed. Viren flinched, chastising himself for his own slip up. “ _You knew the children would try and stop you, that’s why you spelled Harrow so Claudia’s potion wouldn’t work. You lied to your own children, well now they’re miles away from you, and so are the princes and the dragon heart.”_

“You don’t realize the power that heart holds.” Viren said, his rage fuming.

“That heart belonged to my brother!” Siveth spoke, exposing her fangs.

“Don’t play foolish with me, reptile. You know it’s a powerful weapon. A weapon you would have used against us.”

“It’s not a weapon, it’s a heart! It’s the last piece my family has of our king.”

“Perhaps you should have thought of that before you killed our queen.”

“It was never supposed to come to this!”

Amaya stood so she shielded Siveth from Viren when his eyes started turning black. She wasn’t about to let him use dark magic on the dragon, not again.

“Amaya, if you return the dragon to me, I promise I’ll give Harrow the cure to wake him up.”

_You will give him the cure either way unless you want the public to know of your treason to the kingdom of Katolis._

“Treason? I’m doing this to protect the kingdom. To preserve the royal bloodline.”

_Then honor Harrow. Wake him up, right now. Unless you’re afraid of what he will do to you._

Viren was afraid. Amaya wasn’t going to let him get away with this that easily. Everything relied on Harrow being asleep. He needed that heart back, he needed to secure humanity’s dominant spot on the totem pole and show the dragons who they should really fear.

The mage looked over at the dragon behind Amaya and his calculative mind came up with the perfect idea. He pulled out a knife from his pocket and Amaya and Gren positioned themselves to fight.

To their shock, Viren stabbed the blade into his own shoulder blade and cried out in pain.

“GUARDS! HELP!”

Siveth didn’t know what made her do it, but she outstretched her arms to shield the sleeping king from whoever was coming. The guards arrived and saw Viren on the floor, bleeding while Amaya stood there with the imprisoned dragon.

“Grab them! They’re traitors to Katolis!” Viren shouted, pointing with his unhurt arm.

 _No!_ Amaya signed, _Viren is the traitor!_

“They freed the dragon! Grab it before it kills us all!”

The guards aimed their swords at the dragon. Siveth jumped in front of Amaya and Gren then threw the two guards out of the room with her brute strength. She looked over to the balcony and grabbed Amaya and Gren by the back of their clothes, dragging them outside.

 _Get the shackle off!_ Siveth told Amaya through sign language. _Trust me!_

Amaya had no time to debate with herself. She freed Siveth and she dove down from the tower, transforming into her full primal form, but her wings were gone. She latched onto the side of the wall with her claws and roared to Amaya and Gren just as more guards came for them.

“Jump on!” Siveth called out. Gren grabbed Amaya by the hand and they both jumped, latching onto Siveth’s back, grabbing her long white mane. The dragon leapt off the wall and ran at full speed through the courtyard, shoving away random bystanders as she made her escape. She whipped a group of guards away with her tail. Nobody was badly hurt and Siveth sought her chance when she saw the castle gateway. She leaped over it, her long reptilian body casting a shadow over the people and hurried into the forest.

Viren removed the blade from his shoulder, his clothes stained with blood and ordered the guards to go after her.

(~)

Nyx landed the boat right after the final small waterfall. The boat was gently placed on top of the tranquil waters, though Rayla could have sworn she heard a tiny splash somewhere.

“Crisis averted, and you got your first taste of flying, ey Sparky?”

“That was amazing!” Callum cheered. As for Rayla, she was just happy she didn’t get splashed on. She would take a tranquil, non moving river over the wild one they flew over anyway.

Nyx hovered over the princess, wiggling her eyebrows, her way of saying; ‘please don’t be mad at me. Look how adorable I am.’

Rayla rolled her eyes. “Good job, Nyx. Though a fair warning ahead of time wouldn’t kill ya.”

“Oh, but surprises are part of the fun.”

“Hey, guys,” Ezran looked around the boat, “Does anyone see Bait?”

Right on cue, the glow toad poked his head out of the water. He must have slipped and fallen as they landed.

“Bait, come back here! Do your groggy paddle.” Ezran said, moving his hands in a paddle formation. Bait swam close but Zym flew over and grabbed him just like he did before and dropped him in Ezran’s hands.

“You know you’re not supposed to get in the water!” Ezran hugged his froggy friend close, his heart racing at the thought of a fish snatching him and gobbling him up.

“Phew,” Rayla wiped away a bit of sweat from her brow. “Crisis averted. Let’s get to shore and be done with this already.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be connected to all six elements.” Callum said while helping Soren row the boat to shore.

“Having a connection doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Rayla said. Callum humored her by splashing a bit of water in her face. “Hey!”

“What? It’s not my fault the water likes you.” Callum laughed and then Rayla splashed him in the face. A few droplets landed on Soren’s head as well.

“Would you lovebirds knock it off!” Soren looked at the water and saw a shadow beneath them. Growing closer and closer. “Hey, uh, Nyx, could you pull us to shore, please? Now!”

“I’m on it, don’t get your—“ Nyx’s eyes widened as the shadow below came directly at them.

A gigantic fish rose from the water, throwing the boat and everyone in it into the air while the beast snapped its jaws before diving back into the water. Soren crashed into Nyx and the two landed on the shore, while everyone else, aside from Zym, were thrown into the water. Ezran screamed and Zym flew by to catch the young prince on his back.

“Thanks, Zym!” Ezran hugged the alicorn's neck. Soren grunted as he pushed himself up, finding out that Nyx was right beneath him. The dragon hissed and pushed him off of her to see the princess and her friends still in the water with that monster coming after them.

Claudia screamed and latched onto Rayla. “Fish! Why did it have to be fish!”

Thinking fast, Ezran had Zym fly down to grab the rope floating in the water. “Everybody, grab on,” Ezran said. Callum, Rayla and Claudia grabbed onto the rope and Nyx flew over to help Zym and Ezran pull them to shore. But Rayla noticed that Bait wasn’t with them. The poor little glow toad was swimming for his life as the giant fish kept diving in and out of the water, making it difficult for the others to keep their heads above water.

“Nyx, get Callum and Claudia to shore.” Rayla ordered and dove into the water. Callum and Claudia called for her, but the dragon princess dove into the water, swimming with great speed, her legs placed together like a mermaid’s tail as she swam towards Bait. The giant fish jumped out again, ready to devour Bait, but Rayla jumped out of the water, teeth and claws out, latching onto the side of the monstrous creature. As it dove back into the water she ran across its long back, its tail slayed, sending her flying into the air where she caught Bait, holding him close as she plummeted into the water.

The fish opened its mouth wide and Rayla swam out of the way, claws sinking into the side of the fish’s mouth, drawing blood.

From the shore, Callum and the others watched anxiously, looking for Rayla. The fish jumped out again and they saw Rayla hanging onto the fish with one hand, and Bait with the other.

“Now would be a good time to change into a full blown dragon!” Soren told Nyx, who growled impatiently.

“I can’t!”

“What do you mean you can’t!”

“ _I just can’t, okay!_ ” Nyx’s outburst, coupled with the pain in her eyes, was what made Soren finally step back.

The fish kept diving in and out of the water, Rayla barely holding on. She couldn’t fly or use her dragon fire. Callum’s fear grew, but then he felt something crackle behind him. It was the primal stone of his father’s staff. He pulled it out from the holster on his back, feeling the electrical currents responding to his mood. He could feel the heat from his fingertips and his markings glowed. He had an idea.

“Rayla, jump!” Callum called out as he held his staff over his head. Rayla saw this and, trusting him, pushed her body forward into the air. The fish opened his mouth, ready to devour them.

The magic within Callum intensified, making the energy of the primal stone glow even stronger. With a mighty yell, Callum threw the end of the staff to the water, sending a wave of the energy through the water towards the fish, electrocuting it. The beast fell into the water, bits of its skin bubbling up to the surface.

The group waited anxiously until Rayla and Bait popped out of the water, alive and unharmed. Wet, but alive. Ezran cheered and Zym galloped, whinnying with glee. Bait crawled out and hurried to Ezran, and Callum helped Rayla back to shore.

“Callum, you did it!” Rayla hugged him tight, not caring how soaked they both were. “You were incredible!”

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Callum asked, checking her for injuries. Rayla rolled her eyes at his concern, grabbed his face and kissed him full on the lips. A tiny spark crackled around them, but Rayla didn’t react to it. When they ended the kiss their lips emanated little sparks. Callum blushed and covered his lips, but Rayla only laughed and hugged him.

Claudia hugged the couple tight, their cheeks squishing against hers. Nyx laughed in relief, hands clasping over her chest. She looked like she was about to cry. Soren noticed her reaction and, as an act of goodwill, patted her on the back. Nyx backed away, her wings brushing him off. Soren sighed and folded his arms.

This is what he got for trying to be nice.

(~)

The guards searched the entire forest all afternoon but found no trace of General Amaya or Commander Gren or the dragon. One guard managed to find their amour but nothing else. They had escaped and as of now, they had become fugitives.

Amaya, Gren and Siveth managed to find a secluded area in the forest to rest up. Both soldiers stripped off their armor, leaving only their dark colored full body shirts, trousers and boots. They had their swords, but in order to give the guards the slip they needed to ditch their official Katolian armor.

As for Siveth, she shifted back into her humanoid form. Her back ached from where her wings were broken off and Amaya winced seeing the scars, the blood long since dried up.

Siveth pushed away a large boulder that blocked the inside of a cave. “Here. This was where my soldiers and I hid away before the attack. We have plenty of supplies.”

Amaya and Gren walked into the cave and Siveth lit the room with a breath of fire from her mouth to light a torch. The cave was filled with baskets of fruits and backup weapons, as well as a few capes. Amaya and Gren selected ones for themselves while Siveth cloaked herself in a navy blue one.

“We should be safe in here for the time being.” Siveth said.

“So what’s the plan now?” Gren asked.

Amaya now knew exactly how the boys and Rayla must have felt when they left the castle. They couldn’t return home, and Viren managed to make them look like the criminals instead. Harrow was still asleep and Viren was the only one who could wake him up.

Amaya knew Viren; he wouldn’t harm Harrow, but she couldn’t risk just sitting here and waiting for things to clear up for them to make a move. Who knows what Viren could be plotting next. No doubt his primary target would be the children. They needed help.

 _We’ll go to the other kingdoms._ Amaya signed, _I’ll contact m men at the border and—_

“And what?” Siveth approached the two, her face glowing in the light of the blue fire. “Viren poisoning the king is a believable story, but then how would you explain the absence of the princes? Will you tell them they’ve gone to Xadia to return the heart of the dragon king? Or will you tell them they are hidden away somewhere safe? Even if you managed to masquerade some aspects of the truth, who’s to say Viren won’t find a way to turn the tables on you again? Who’s to say he won’t poison the other royals too? Face it, so long as he still stands any amount of influence you may have had he will snatch away.”

_Then what do you suggest?_

“The only way for us to have an advantage against Viren and keep the children safe is to know what his next move will be.”

“How? There’s no way we can get back into the castle now.” Gren said.

“Maybe you can’t...” Before their eyes they watched as her scales dissolved into her skin, her horns shrunk and her white hair became black as ebony. Her skin was no longer pink but a milky white, her lilac eyes became a clear green and her lips were as red as blood. “But I can.”

(~)

Rayla rinsed out the last bit of water from her hair. She had all but forgotten how it felt to submerge herself in water and zip through the currents like a mermaid... and she still hated it.

“Wow, Ray. I had no idea you could swim that fast.” Claudia said after pulling off her wet boot and dumped all the water that seeped its way inside, creating a miniature waterfall.

“The mixed privileges of being connected to the primal elements. Upside, I can out-swim most mermaids. Downside, I have to be in the water to do it,”

Claudia shuddered, “Mermaids... half-fish freaks with annoyingly great hair!”

Rayla felt something against her elbow. It was Bait, rubbing his body against her, his body glowing a blushing pink. “Aww, like I was going to let anything happen to my favorite frog monster.” Rayla rubbed Bait’s belly.

Callum finished drying up his jacket and slipped it back on, “And you faced your fears. You feel better about water now?”

Rayla gave her boyfriend a menacing glare. “I never felt worse about water.” She said in an equally menacing tone. It didn’t surprise her that Callum wasn’t phased. She could easily make a grown man wet his pants with her glare, but Callum was one of the few who always managed to see right through it.

“Well, if it weren’t for you Bait would have been...” Ezran covered Bait’s ears and whispered, “Fish food.”

“I would have been too if not for Callum’s lightning spell.”Rayla said, partly batting her lashes that made the eldest prince blush.

Callum picked up his staff from the ground, staring at his reflection in the primal stone. “I’m just glad the fish was the one that exploded and not you.”

Rayla rolled her eyes, “Please. The worst you could have done was give me a bad hair day.”

Nyx ruffled her feathers to get the remaining water out while Soren dusted off his cape, his blond bangs partly sticking to his forehead. He couldn’t stop thinking about the anguished look on her face when she said she couldn’t shift into her dragon form. What did she mean by that? That she couldn’t or wouldn’t?

“Uh...hey,” Soren began. Nyx’s keen hearing picked up on his awkward attempt at starting a conversation. For a moment, the knight froze but pushed forward. He cleared his throat, “I just wanted to say that... what you did with the um boat flying and then the rope thing...” Soren spun his fingers together when referring to the rope. Nyx raised a brow and the knight cleared his throat. He really should just cut to the chase.

“I just wanted to say you did good. That was really brave.”

Nyx’s eyes widened when he said that. Brave wasn’t a compliment she heard often.

“Even if you didn’t change into a dragon.”

And just like that, any shred of a possible amicable moment between them was snuffed out by his big mouth. “Would you just your own business!”

Soren raised his hands in surrender as the dragon spread open her wings, blocking the light of the setting sun and basking the knight in her shadow. “I’m sorry! You don’t have to get all grumpy.”

“You’d be grumpy too if—“ Nyx pulled back, wings tucking behind her.

“If I what?”

“Nothing!”

“Nyx, is everything okay?” Callum asked. Nyx was definitely hiding something, he could tell. Rayla learned before that it was difficult for one to hide their feelings from Callum. He had such a natural empathetic intuition that he could pick up someone’s unease very easily. It was a quality he shared with Gren.

“Fine. Why do you care?”

“Because, we’re friends and friends care when one of us is upset.”

“I never said I was upset and I never said we were friends.”

“Your Rayla’s friend, so I just thought—“

“Well you thought wrong.” Nyx felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Rayla’s.

“Nyx, it’s okay. You can trust them.”

Ezran walked up to Nyx and held her hand in a similar manner he did Rayla when they first met. Nyx felt overwhelmed by all of this mushy, sob-fest. She pulled away from Ezran and walked over to the river, staring at her reflection. She felt cornered, there was no way to sly her way out of this one.

“You want the truth? The truth is... can’t go full dragon. Not without my dragon’s breath.”

“What’s a dragon’s breath?” Callum asked.

“It’s the power all dragons have. It’s what allows us to breath fire, shoot lightning, ice, blah, blah, blah. It’s also what allows us to change into our primal form.”

Nyx pulled down on the collar around her neck which covered most of her collarbone. Pulling it away, she revealed a nasty looking scar that went almost all across her neck. “When I was little, my family got into a tussle with some rouge dragons. My parents were... well, let’s just say they didn’t come out the winners. I was badly hurt and... I don’t know, I guess the injury messed me up and I haven’t been able to generate lighting since. No breath, no primal form.”

Claudia wanted to slap her brother for being so insensitive before, but she saw the look of regret on his face and decided against it. Poor Nyx, she could only imagine how horrific that event must have been for her. Ezran, ever so bold, reached for her hand again.

Soren felt awful. Rayla was right, he really should work on being nicer to people. Just because he was a knight and the eldest amongst them didn’t mean he had to act all high and mighty. Besides, he was the last person who should be passing judgment. She had demonstrated more bravery and valor than him just now. All he did was complain and whine.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your parents, Nyx.” Ezran said, “But you don’t have to feel bad about telling us. We’re your friends and we don’t care if you have your dragon breath or not.”

Nyx wanted to scoff but found she couldn’t. Not in front of such a sweet face.

“Besides, you didn’t need your dragon breath to save us from that waterfall” Callum said.

“Or from that giant fi—“ Claudia gagged and her face slowly turned green, “Agh, I can’t even say it.”

“Yeah, what they said,” Soren added.

Nyx felt a little self cautious, she wasn’t used to this type of praise. “Are you always this mushy?”

“Get used to it,” Rayla said as Callum wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“We’re all on this journey together, and that kind of makes us a family. And family sticks together.”

Nyx was ambushed by Claudia, who pulled her in for a side hug. “Welcome to the team, Nyxie!”

“Don’t call me that,” Nyx shoved the mage away, “Okay, feelings time is over. Let’s just get a move on. Xadia isn’t getting any younger.” Nyx ruffled Ezran’s hair, “Now where’s the... boat...”

The boat, or at least what was left of it, came drifting down the river. Planks of wood floated away.

“Oh, no,” Rayla said, feigning disappointment, “Our boat has been completely destroyed. Such a travesty? What will we do now?”

Claudia started rummaging through her potion bag, “Oh, I think I have some leftover snake skin from Evie’s last shed, I can make a quick recreation potion and—“ Claudia stopped in her tracks to see the menacing looks she was receiving from Rayla, Callum and even Bait.

“Ya know what, I just remembered I left my mixing bowl back at the Banther Lodge, so never-mind.”

“Looks like we’re walking,” Soren sighed and led the group into the forest. Nyx lingered behind, tugging Rayla’s shoulder.

“So this is the lot I’m stuck with until we reach home?”

“Hey, give them credit. At least they like you. And I think Soren really likes you,” Rayla winked.

“I’d rather have my head chopped off.” Nyx scoffed and pushed the princess aside to join the others. Rayla laughed to herself but then she thought about what just happened.

She told Nyx she could be honest with the group, that she could trust them with her fears and past. Problem is, Rayla hadn’t been completely honest about certain things. It would be easy to keep this secret to herself, but she knew Callum and Ezran deserved the truth.

She had to tell them that the night she first arrived in Katolis six months ago... was to carry on the same mission as her Aunt Siveth.

To kill Harrow.

(~)

Night fell upon Katolis, and Viren could hear the anxious crowd from his window. He turned around to stare at Pip, still locked in his cage.

“No song for the occasion?”

Pip hung his head and remained quiet.

“I didn’t think so.” Viren was ready to see the people but stopped when he felt the bird staring back at him. The bird reminded him so much of Harrow. He thought by locking him up he wouldn’t have to deal with the guilt of his actions, even if they were necessary.

Or were they? Viren felt like he was digging himself into such a deep hole that he wasn’t sure where he was going with this anymore.

No, he couldn’t think like that. He did know. He knew where this was going. He was going to get the heart back from the children, get rid of them, tell Harrow of the tragedy that happened and... no, no Harrow wouldn’t believe it.

There was no turning back now. Viren turned to the bird, opened its cage and swatted at him who cawed in pain before flying out the window in a frenzy. Kicking out the bird just felt like a cruel metaphor of just how far Viren had sunk himself. Rather than keep something in a cage, he chose to release it. Why keep something if it no longer mattered.

In making this choice he had broken any chance he could have at reconciling with Harrow. As he stared at his reflection in the mirror he rubbed his shoulder. He had used his magic to heal himself and the blood was gone, not even a scar remained, but it still felt sour and the spell itself took a lot out of him. A small price to pay for extended life and wisdom.

He was the only one who knew of the dangers Xadia held. Only he could protect humanity now. Harrow was a good king, but his ways had outlived their purpose. It was time for a new era.

The mage stepped out into the open, standing on the balcony overlooking the people below. After a moment to take in the crowd and for them to fall silent, he raised his head and hands.

“People of Katolis, King Harrow’s condition has wounded us deeply. But the loss of his sons, our princes, is a greater injustice. By taking the heirs to the throne, our enemies sought to leave us without a leader. It would disgrace Harrow’s honor to allow the kingdom he loved to be lost in darkness. But there is hope. I have reason to believe that the princes still live, but are under the tyrannical claws of the dragons. As High Mage and Harrow’s trusted advisor, it is my humble duty to serve in his place. But, I can not allow his sons to remain prisoners of the enemy. Therefore I will personally lead the search and rescue to retrieve the princes back to Katolis. In my stead, Opeli and the High Council shall attend to you until Harrow has finally awoken. I will humbly take up the battle in Harrow’s name.”

People murmured amongst themselves. They weren’t sure how to make of this; Viren was never a favorite amongst the people due to their dislike of dark magic, but here Viren was choosing to venture outside the kingdom’s borders to rescue the heirs. Nobody protested, which Viren found promising. He turned to Opeli and the rest of the council and bowed.

“I shall depart at dawn. Keep Harrow safe until I return.”

“What of General Amaya?” Opeli asked. She hadn’t heard from her since that afternoon and only recently learned of her supposed betrayal.

“We will deal with that traitor after the princes are safe.”

With that, Viren left. What better way to earn the favor of the people than him returning with the princes. Of course, there was no way he was going to allow the princes to rule, especially not that halfling Callum. But, accidents have been known to happen out in the wild.

Once he had the heart in his clutches and Katolis worshiping the ground he walked on, humanity could finally flourish without a knife at its throat.

Amongst the crowd, Siveth heard everything. As she made her way back into the forest, she saw a raven bird with green plumage cooing at her. She tipped her head a little then nodded, walking on with Pip following her, getting a sense that she could help Harrow and the princes.

(~)

...................

**Apologies for the delay guys. My beta reader was dealing with some stuff on her end so she was a bit delayed. On the brought side, I finished writing chapter 17, and am currently working on chapter 18.**

**On a side note, I’ve recently picked up a story concept I’ve had for a while now entitled Flame and Sword. It’s my own retelling of the Arthurian myth inspired by Geoffrey of Monmouth’s version of Morgan Le Fay, where she was portrayed as one of nine benevolent fae sisters from Avalon who tended to Arthur’s injuries and there was no indication of her and Arthur being siblings, half or otherwise. The evil half-sister we’ve come to be familiar with came from Chrétien de Troyes’s rendition of the mythos, along with Lancelot and his affair with Guinevere and Lancelot being the adopted son of the lady of the lake... no joke, look it up.**

**So yeah, I’ve been distracted but no worries, I haven’t neglected DragonHeart. Once again, shout out to StoryLady (who is an Arthurian nut) and Ray for your help and support. You guys are the best!**

**I’m not sure if you guys wind be interested in maybe, if I’m feeling confident enough, I could post drafts of the chapters on Archive or on wattpad, I’ll supply the link bellow.**

**Until next time, God bless. *kiss, kiss***

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**Morgan Le Fay**

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**Arthur and Morgan**


	17. Chapter 17

_There was nothing like soaring above the Xadian woodlands and mountain ranges on a clear sunny day. There was barely a cloud in the sky and the dragon princess Rhiannon soaked in the sun’s warmth, releasing a stream of fire that sprouted from deep down her throat and out her mouth._

_Her father, King Lain, flew right above her, his body larger than hers, which was expected. He was a full-grown dragon after all. The diamonds beneath his membranes sparkled like the surface of a river in spring._

_Rhiannon shifted into her Dragonoid form just as her toes touched the branch of the largest tree she could find. King Lain shifted into his dragonoid form as well once he caught up to his daughter. His eyes were gold as the sun and his hair was silver like moonlight. His horns were as black as his daughter’s, but more prominent, curved back like a stag’s antlers, giving the impression he was wearing a crown that naturally grew from his head. His horns were adorned with silver jewels to symbolize his royal status. His clothing was modest, for he was a modest king. He only adorned the royal garments for celebrations and events. While racing with his little princess he was more than happy to put on an old and worn out midnight blue shirt and grayish green pants with black boots._

_Lain sighed as he flopped on the branch. His daughter crunched down beside him, rolling her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic, Dad. You barely flew a mile.”_

_“Aye, I’m not as young as I used to be, Rhiannon. But even as an old gecko, I can still outfly you.”_

_“Please. I can fly twice as fast as you or any of your dragon guards.”_

_“You’re still learning the basics. You have to crawl before you can walk.”_

_“And how much longer will I have to crawl?”_

_“That depends on how quickly you want to improve yourself. Of course, that doesn’t happen in a day.”_

_Rhiannon rolled her eyes and flopped on the branch beside her father. “Enough with the old sage advice, already. I get enough of that from Uncle Aatish and Great-Aunt Lujanne.”_

_“Show some respect to your elders, little duck,” Lain said, ruffling his little girl’s hair. She was growing up so fast. One day he will blink and she would already be fully grown, ready to wear that heavy crown on her head. The two looked over the valley, listening to the cawing of the phoenixes that flew overhead. Griffons with sylphs and dryads riding on their backs and several other EarthWings and SeaWings flying and going about their day._

_For as long as Rhiannon could remember, Xadia was a peaceful place. Not perfect, but overall in better health than the other side of the continent. Ever since the humans were cast out of the enchanted lands, the other side of the border has been dwindling. Droughts, famine, illness, while Xadia was plentiful with natural resources. From what she heard, the longer the humans remained away from the faes and Xadia, the more dried up the land became. Plants and trees that once contained traces of magic were now dried up like a desert. Waters were no longer clear as crystal but muddy and green like a sickly patient’s face. Humans fighting against one another for land and property. Yes, dragons and fairies have been known to do the same thing for a number of stupid reasons; be it jealousy, impatience, anger, or pride, but Rhiannon’s family was always there to prevent all-out wars between the other dragon kingdoms._

_Still, there always seemed to be an air of unrest looming over the land, and Rhiannon knew from where this unrest came from... the human kingdoms._

_The humans would often cross the border to gather items and resources from Xadia. Resources they once had but their greed and lust for power caused those sources to die out along with their souls._

_Rhiannon should feel anger towards the humans, and in a sense she did, but after reading about their shared history from the royal library, she wondered if there was another way they could finally be rid of this cloud of fear hanging over their heads._

_“Hey, Dad. Do you think we could go back to that village again?”_

_“The human one?”_

_“Yeah, it’s been a good six months and I want to see if my friend Vi—“_

_“I told you, Rhiannon. It was a one time trip. To quench your curiosity.”_

_“A lot of good that did,” Rhiannon pouted as she stood upon the branch. “You and Mum always talked about how we’re supposed to stay away from the humans and protect Xadia from their “wicked ways!” She said, using air quotes, “But you never once mentioned they were evil like everyone else does.”_

_“It’s complicated, love,” Lain said as he stood up. “Humans, by nature, are very complicated. During my time in this life, I have seen many actions committed by humans. Good, bad, and in between. But more than anything, I see that they are desperate. Easily frightened as they are easily impressed.”_

_“If they’re so desperate why can’t we share what we have with them? Maybe if we could find some common ground—“_

_“So long as dark magic exists, they will only ever see us as items to capture and posses.”_

_“Then why don’t we try and do something about it instead of just hiding and waiting for them to attack. I don’t want to rule a kingdom that lives in constant fear. I’ve been reading about the history of the war and it didn’t always use to be like this. We used to coexist with humans. They were our friends, maybe we could have that again.”_

_“I admire your compassion, Rhiannon. I do. It’s one of your greatest strengths. But the truth is that the scars have frown too deep. I wish it weren’t like this, but our emotions can’t change reality, no matter how much he would want them to.”_

_Rhiannon crossed her arms and pouted. “It’s not fair. We have so much to offer them and they to us. If you ask me, pride is the real darkness here.”_

_“Well, you aren’t wrong about that, little duck. But you still have a lot to learn about the ways of the world.”_

_“I know, I know. When I’m older I’ll understand.”_

_“Yes, but promise me one thing.” Lain cupped his daughter’s chin with his thumb. “Promise me you won’t ever lose those dreams of yours. People will say you must give up your dreams and worship rationality. Others will say follow your dreams and throw logic out the window. Both serve a purpose but obey one over the other and you will become as unbalanced as our world. Keep it as close to your heart as you keep the old code.”_

_“Defend the helpless, and speak only truth.”_

_“That’s my girl.”_

_The two turn around at the sound of powerful wingbeats and see Siveth flying towards them. “There ya are. I turn my back for two minutes and you fly off to Draco knows where.”_

_“You’re just jealous you couldn’t keep up.” Lain teased. Rhiannon laughed but quickly covered her mouth at her aunt’s sneer._

_“She’s supposed to be training, Lain. Not playing hide and seek.”_

_“She can always do that tomorrow.”_

_Siveth groaned, “I swear if you weren’t the king—“_

_“You’d be out of a job.”_

_“Get your scaly hind back to the palace. I’ll let Tiadrin deal with you.” Siveth flew off, but Lain and Rhiannon continued to laugh before joining her. Rhiannon stopped mid-flight and looked back to the mountains. She wondered if she would ever see that human village again. They had so much to offer and give, just as the faeries did. Maybe once she was queen, she could finally change things._

_What she didn’t realize, was that this day would be the last she would ever see her father again._

_The following day, humans returned to Xadia. The same humans who killed the Magma Titan king years ago. The human king and his dark mage companion returned. Lain stood before them, pleading them to step down and leave peacefully. He did not wish to end their lives. Rhiannon wasn’t there, but she heard the screams and cries of her mother, her aunt, and the rest of the dragon guard from the castle balcony. She disobeyed their orders and left the palace. When she arrived, all she saw were the ashy remains of her father. Rhiannon’s throat was sore from her agonizing roars. Her heart broke, and with it so did her trust and belief in humans._

_She was so swayed by the beauty of their inventions and civilizations that she was blindsided to see the darkness of their hearts. They brought death upon the land and now they brought it upon her family._

_She swore that justice would not be denied._

_............._

Rayla woke up with a gasp, her pupils briefly shifting into slits before becoming round and human-like again. It was night and everyone else was sound asleep. Callum, who was lying beside her, felt her stir and woke up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Rayla... everything okay?”

“Yeah,” she lied but was glad Callum was still too tired to notice. “Just a bad dream.”

Callum, even while half-awake, wrapped an arm around Rayla, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder.

“It’s okay. I’m here.” He whispered. His warmth and voice steadied her rapid heartbeat. But it didn’t take away the guilt eating her up inside.

(~)

Viren stared at his reflection in the full body mirror of his study. The doors were never bothered to be fixed, but he did have the wooden remains be cleaned out.

When he first entered the room he could still hear the angry pounding coming from the other side of the closet door. The door he forced Claudia into. Contrary to what Claudia might believe now, Viren took no pleasure in the experience. The image of the heartbroken expressions from both of his children would forever torment him. They couldn’t see what he was feeling, how his body stiffened and his heart shattered like glass hitting the floor. He felt the same way when he gave Harrow that sleeping potion, and enhanced it with dark magic to keep him in a sleep-like stasis until he himself could wake him up. Or not. Without Viren, Harrow would remain in this state. He would be able to survive without food and water for a good while, but the spell wouldn’t last forever unless Viren redid it. And neither would Harrow.

Now, Viren wasn’t sure if he should or would need to redo the spell to keep Harrow’s soul intact. The king’s life was, literally, in his hands. Only he had the power to revive him or cut the thread of life by his own terms. Viren shuddered at the thought. The only way to avoid such a fate would be to find the princes and eliminate them before they could rat him out to their father. It was the only way he could wipe the slate clean.

Funny how doing the smart thing would make people dislike him even more than they already did. Should he have risked Claudia’s trust by using her snake sprites for the spell? Could there have been another way? Was he really doing this to protect the kingdom, or did a part of him really wanted to get rid of those creatures just as much as he wanted to get rid of that Rayla girl?

Viren shook his head. There was no way he would be that petty. Whenever that annoying voice at the back of his head would whisper things he didn’t want to be true he snuffed it out like a candle’s flame. He did the right thing. He spared the king’s life and spared Katolis from being devoured by dragons. A few minor casualties, and perhaps a few stoned guards needed to be disposed of, but the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

And now, all that was missing was finding the princes and the dragon heart. If they successfully returned the heart to the dragon queen it was all over. The dragons would have the upper hand and have even more reason to attack Katolis and the rest of the human kingdoms.

What the High Council didn’t know was that Viren wasn’t planning on returning with the princes at all. He was going to make sure the moment he found them they would never see Katolis again. Especially Callum.

That little orphan boy was one of those monsters. He was one of the fae folk. No wonder Sarai always felt compassion for them. She had already given herself to their kind and produced this abomination of a child. He used dark magic to heal his burnt wounds, but he could still feel the heat and strength of the spell deep in his bones. That boy and his dragon mistress would pay dearly for this. There was no way he was going to allow another faerie or dragon to walk through the halls of the castle. Not while he had any say in the matter.

He gathered the last of his things: a spellbook, his potions and items, and lastly, a mirror. He would need it to keep tabs on his appearance. Years and years of dark magic did come at a price. It had begun to disfigure his physical form as more and more magic seeped into his mortal body. It was a small price to pay for power. A power that would usher in a new era for humanity. No more living in fear of the faes, or at the dragons’ mercy. He gathered his glowing butterflies into a jar but absorbed the life force of one. He watched with a tranquil satisfaction as the now lifeless insect floated down to the ground. It’s glow and coloring gone. He squashed it with his foot with no remorse and left the room, closing off the echoes of his argument with his daughter.

Before he went out to meet the rest of his hand-selected guards to accompany him on his journey, Viren went to see Harrow one more time. The sight never ceased to make him feel even sicker with himself. He repeated the same excuse over and over again in the hopes that it would finally silence that nagging voice at the back of his brain.

“I promise Harrow, you will be safe until I return. I know what I’m doing seems wrong, but if it weren’t for me you’d be dead right now. This is an act of kindness, of mercy.” Viren kept insisting, but a part of him suspected he was saying it more to convince himself rather than the king who could not hear him.

A guard appeared at the door and told Viren his horse was ready. The mage took one last glance at the king, his oldest and dearest friend, and left the room. Every corner in this castle screamed with the memory of betrayal. The betrayal from his own family.

(~)

No matter how many times Callum scratched his arms the itch refused to go away. Rayla was sound asleep and he was quiet enough not to wake her, but this insufferable itching was driving him mad. His markings didn’t itch this much before. Tiny sparks came shooting from his fingertips.

Callum gasped and jumped to his feet. His markings gave off a faint glow underneath his sleeves. Careful, he snuck away from the group, but as fate would have it, that was when Rayla began to stir. She blinked a couple of times and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

“Callum?” She didn’t see him beside her but she did see his outline running into the forest. Rayla followed, careful not to wake anyone else. She froze when she heard Nyx mumble something in her sleep and tiptoed over Zym’s snoring body.

Callum ran into a more secluded area in the forest, surrounded by tall trees and thick berry bushes. He hastily removed his jacket and scratched his arms like he was being attacked by a swarm of angry fire ants. His markings were glowing brighter with every passing second and tiny spark kept snapping out of his fingertips. He couldn’t control it.

“Callum!” Rayla jumped over the hedges and saw the glowing markings and sparks snapping. Callum’s breathing quickened and his pupils dilated. His face was almost as white as marble.

“Callum, Callum, it’s okay! I’m here.” Rayla reached for his hands, which were coursing with electricity. The sparks didn’t harm her. She felt no pain, maybe a small tickle but hardly anything that would make her jerk back in pain.

“Callum, look at me. You need to breathe.” Rayla cupped his face with her hands, directing his paranoid face to hers. “Breathe... focus on me.”

Callum inhaled and exhaled slowly. He complied and focused only on Rayla. His hands still felt hot and he was scared he would harm her.

“It doesn’t hurt. You won’t hurt me, I promise.” Rayla talked him through it and Callum found his center again. He breathed in and out a couple more times until the glowing of his markings simmered down and the sparks stopped.

“What’s happening to me? I feel so... I don’t know like I’m carrying a huge primal stone in my stomach.” Callum hugged his waist and hunched over. Rayla rubbed his arms and sat him down near a tree.

Rayla calmed Callum down long enough to place the back of her palm on his forehead. He was sweating from the shock but managed to steady his heartbeat with slow, deep breaths. Rayla could feel Callum’s magic, being linked to all the elements allowed her to see another fae’s magic through touch. This was why she would feel al electrical surge whenever they touched back in Katolis. She didn’t realize at first that she was sensing, and perhaps in a way, accidentally triggering his powers.

“Good news, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“What’s the bad news?” Callum asked.

“Well, I don’t know much about halflings but, from what I gather, it seems as though your dogma not powers are coming in all at once and they’re settling in. Which, I think may be causing these spontaneous outbursts.”

“How long is it going to last?”

“I don’t know.”

Callum didn’t like the sound of that and he could feel his powers acting up again. Sparks flew from his fingertips, forming into an electrical spear above his palms. Streams of lightning shot in all directions. He couldn’t control it.

“Uh, Rayla!”

“Don’t panic, just...” she thought for a moment and settled on the first thing that popped into her head. “Just throw it to me.”

“What?! No way!”

“I won’t feel anything. Celestial dragon, remember? I’ll collect the burst of energy and shrink it down.”

“But your magic is still too weak. What if it’s too much for you to handle?”

“Even without my dragon fire I can still handle a lightning bolt. Trust me.”

Callum didn’t like the idea but he also knew that once Rayla made up her mind about something he couldn’t do much to change her mind unless she wanted to.

“Okay... tossing it!” Callum threw Rayla the electrical spear. She caught it with ease but the throw released a burst of light which caught the attention of three men camping nearby.

“Did you see that?” The large one-pointed in the direction of the light.

“Unusual weather for a storm.” Said a blond man with a curly mustache. Their leader, a man with dark skin and a scar over his left brown, narrowed his eyes.

“That was no storm.” He said ominously.

Back in the forest, Callum fell back when he threw the spear and landed on his backside. When he sat upright he noticed his tattoos stopped glowing and he was feeling a million times better.

“Hey, it worked! I’m okay and... oh.” Callum grimaced and tried to withhold a laugh when he saw that while his girlfriend was still standing, unharmed by the blast, her hair wasn’t so lucky. Her silver locks stood on end like the hairs of a frightened cat. Strings of lightning flickered around her creating a crackling, sizzling sound.

“Oops. Sorry.”

Rayla wasn’t too amused, but at least Callum got it out of his system and nobody got seriously hurt. “It’s okay. Feeling any better?”

“Yeah. I think so. How long is this going to last?”

“I’m not sure,” Rayla pushed down her hair and helped Callum back up. “Hopefully not long. In the meantime, if you ever feel you can’t keep all of that energy inside, just throw to me. Think of me as your personal lightning rod.”

“So I’m supposed to keep throwing lightning balls at you all day until my powers calm down?”

“On the bright side, this means you’re perfectly healthy and just as powerful as any full-blooded sylph. I bet ya you’ll be getting your wings any day now.”

Callum immediately became excited about the idea. Flying was always an outlandish fantasy he had growing up and never really believed it would be possible. Now, there was a high chance it could.

Both flinched when they picked up the sound of a stick breaking nearby. The sound was small but their keen fae hearing picked up on it like the ears of a bloodhound. Rayla’s eyes became slits and Callum’s pupils dilated into those of a hawk.

The sound of something swooshing came from above and a net was thrown in their direction. Rayla pulled Callum out of the way and the net trapped her lower torso. She screamed and felt her skin burn. The net was made of enchanted iron that could burn a faerie upon touch. Callum reached for the net, the iron burning his fingers, but he fought it long enough to yank the net off of Rayla.

A man with dark skin jumped from the trees, swinging a chain with a metal grappling hook over his head. “What have we here? Judging by those markings, I take it you're a sky faerie, aren’t you.”

Rayla hissed, showcasing her claws while shielding Callum with her body. Two more men emerged from the bushes. One tall and somewhat overweight with huge cantaloupes for muscles. On his back was a sword almost as tall, and as thick, as himself.

The second man was smaller, slimmer than his partner, but his frame no doubt made him nimble and slick. His hair was curly and blond, styled almost like that of a rich noble, with a just as curly mustache. He held a golden dagger with one hand.

(~)

Ezran stretched and yawned as he woke up, clicking his tongue. With sleepy eyes, he looked around. The last bit of sleep left him once he noticed his brother and Rayla were gone.

Last time this happened at least he was the last one to wake up, everyone else was out and about. But Callum and Rayla snuck away without warning. Once was one thing, but twice? Something was up. He turned to Claudia, who was groaning in her sleep, eyebrows twitching as she curled up against a loaf of bread.

“Claudia! Callum and Rayla are gone.”

“No...” Claudia muttered in her sleep, clenching the bread so hard it almost snapped in two. “Not them...”

“Do you think something happened?”

“No. Please, don’t...” Claudia muttered, her brows furrowed and droplets of sweat trailed from her forehead and down her cheek to her neck.

“ _Claudia, wake up!_ ” Ezran yelled, making the mage wake up with a scream that woke up Soren and Nyx, who fell off of the tree and landing on her tail.

“Oh my gosh, what happened?” Claudia grabbed Ezran by the shoulders and shook him like a madwoman. “Did she take them?! What did she do? I had nothing to do with it!”

“What are you talking about?”

Claudia blinked and looked around to see that everyone was still there, including Evie, who Claudia hugged close to her face. “Evie! Oh, sweetie, you’re alive. Thank goodness.”

Soren jumped to his feet, looking around. “Where’s Callum?”

“And Rhiannon?” Nyx looked just as frightened as Soren.

“I don’t know. I just woke up and they weren’t there.” Ezran said, pointing to the now empty spot where Callum and Rayla were supposed to have been sleeping.

“Claudia, you stay here with Ezran. Nyx and I are going to go find him.”

Without protesting, or snarky comment, Nyx went with Soren to search the woods for the missing royals. Claudia was still shaking from her nightmare.

(~)

“Isn’t this our lucky day. A sky faerie and... what is she?” The blond mustached man asked as he slowly approached the young couple, holding his dagger close to his body. Rayla snapped her jaws like an angry dog.

“She kind of looks like a dragon,” said the tall, big fella. “Hey, didn’t dragons attack the castle the other day? This must be one of ‘em who tried to kill the king.”

“I didn’t kill anyone!” Rayla exclaimed defensively. She felt personally insulted by this claim.

“A sylph and a runaway dragon,” said the dark-skinned leader, still spinning his weapon around as he walked. “We’re going to be feasting like kings tonight, gentlemen.”

Callum, with one hand on Rayla’s shoulder, raised his free hand to grab their attention. “Okay, I normally don’t play this card but, I am Prince Callum, son of King Harrow. And I am—“ his voice cracked a bit and he cleared his throat before continuing, “I am ordering you to put down your weapons or face the consequences.” He said in a somewhat deeper voice.

“What are you doing?” Rayla whispered.

“Bluffing?” Callum whispered back nervously.

The dark-skinned hunter laughed. “Prince? You think because you take on the guise of a human that you can fool us? We’re faerie hunters, kid. We know a fae when we see one.”

“Yeah, we’re the few last groups remaining.” The big fella said with a gruffly laugh.

“Allen!” The blond shouted, face-palming while shaking his head. “Why did you have to tell them that? We don’t tell people these kinds of things, it kills the intimidation factor!”

“Oops!” The big guy, Allen, covered his mouth, his rounded cheeks blushing. “Sorry, Tristan.”

“Enough!” The dark-skinned leader shouted, silencing the two. “Just grab them!” He hurled his grappling hook at Rayla and she and Callum jumped out of the way. Callum tripped and rolled to the ground, but found his footing and got up with one knee to the ground. He reached out for his staff, which was lying near a tree after he took off his jacket. The stone glowed and it flew to his hand.

“Still cool!” He said to himself, admiring the way the lightning inside the primal stone crackled. Tristian, the blond hunter came at them with his blade, and Callum, on instinct, blocked the blade with his staff. If there was ever a time to put those lessons to use it was now.

The big guy, Allen, pulled out his sword, as big as himself, and swung it a couple of times, stomping his foot to seem even more intimidating as he cornered Rayla.

“This isn’t even my biggest s _w_ ord.” He said pridefully as the sun caught the silver of his blade. The way he said it sounded like he was enunciating the W more.

“Um, the W is silent.” Rayla corrected.

“What?”

“You said s _w_ ord, it’s supposed to sound like sord; s-o-r-d you don’t have to enunciate the W.”

“Huh? But then why is there a W if you don’t use it?”

“How should I know? I didn’t invent the English language. Although, one of my ancestors was one of the first linguists.”

Allen gave her a confused look, shook it off, and proceeded to slash her with his weapon. Rayla jumped out of the way just as the sword. Allen blinked, the dragon girl was gone.

“Aww, and it was your biggest s _w_ ord too.” Rayla teased, crunched down on his back. She gave him a cute wave and jumped off, pushing his face to the ground. Allen spits out the dirt and rocks.

“Corvus!” Allen cried, tears running down his eyes like a little baby.

The leader, Corvus, swung his weapon at Rayla, which she grabbed with her two hands, wrapped the chains around her fists, and gave the hunter a good pull, spinning in around until he had no choice but to let go. He salted back first against a tree.

Callum jumped and flipped out of Tristan’s ways, dodging every swing of the dagger. This infuriated the hunter, it was like he was fighting the very air itself. It’s been a long time since he fought a sylph, he read that they were as swift as the wind and twice as fast. He reached for his pocket to throw an iron bola, and Callum unleashed a gust of wind from his mouth, sending the bolas flying back at Tristan, wrapping around his wrists and he fell back, his hair now a complete mess as was his mustache.

“NO!” Tristan cried.

“Oops. Sorry.” Callum said while smiling sheepishly.

Rayla turned to check on Callum and while she was distracted Corvus sought his chance and rammed into t dragon girl, knocking her to the ground and regained his weapon. Callum rushed to her aid, jumping between her and Corvus.

“Please, we don’t have to fight each other.” Callum pleaded. But Corvus didn’t listen. He threw his hook at the boy and Rayla grabbed Callum by snaking her arm around his torso and carrying him up the trees as she jumped. Corvus followed, jumping from branch to branch, almost at an even speed as Rayla herself. Both Callum and Rayla ran across the treetops until Corvus leaped into the air, throwing his hook around Rayla’s ankle. He pulled her back hanging her upside down from a branch.

“Got you now, dragon. Almost a shame to have to skin alive such a lovely thing.”

“Charming,” Rayla said with venomous sarcasm.

“Rayla!” Callum ran back, the primal stone of his staff was acting up, and without thinking it through, he shot a lightning strike at Corvus, right bellow his feet. The branch beneath him gave way and he fell, taking Rayla with him. They both landed on the ground. Callum jumped down and helped Rayla remove the chain from her ankle, which proved difficult due to the burning iron. Callum used the end of his staff to push the chains away, freeing Rayla.

Allen and Tristian—after combing his hair to perfection once more—cornered the two Faes. Corvus grunted as he got up and reached for his weapon.

“Good. Haven’t had this sort of challenge in a long time.” Corvus smiled in satisfaction at the way the dragon girl was limping. He had her right where he wanted her.

“Nor likely to again,” Rayla said with a roar. She grabbed the tree branch Callum broke off, and with her draconic strength, she hurled it at Corvus. He jumped out of the way. The branch shattered when it hit a large boulder.

“A little overconfident, aren’t we?” Corvus taunted.

“Hardly. But if you win you’d be out of work.”

“With you two, we’ll be swimming in gold for months.”

Callum felt his tattoos glowing again. All of this fighting was making him anxious, and his powers were starting to act up again. But rather than be afraid, this gave him an idea. He whispered to Rayla. “Keep them distracted, I’ve got an idea.”

Rayla nodded and tried talking down to the hunters. “Is that so? Must be a slow day if you’re going for an infant dragon over a full-grown one. You of all people should know how valuable a dragon’s scales are, right? Look at me.” She pulled back her arms to showcase her scales, which were slim and not too strong or study like those of a full-grown dragon’s hind. “How much gold will these tiny bits put in your purse?”

“That’s none of your business,” Corvus warned, pointing his hook in her direction. While they were talking, Callum was collecting more and more energy with his hands behind his back.

“Can’t be very much. These days you’d have better luck finding a pearl inside a dog’s mouth than you would be finding a griffin just flying around.”

“She does have a point,” Allen said.

“Shut up!” Tristan hissed.

“See, your friends get it. And you’ll kill us for sport? And when there are no more dragons or faeries to slay, how will you make a living, hunter?”

“Shut up!” Corvus threw his hook again and Rayla jumped out of the way for Callum to unleash his powerful electrical blast which blinded the hunters and the gust of wind that came out of his mouth sent rolling down a ditch. From a few feet, away Nyx and Soren saw the light and followed it. When Soren and Nyx arrived Callum was on his knees, breathing heavily while Rayla remained by his side.

“Callum!” Soren took a look at the three men laying on the ground. “What happened?”

“Ignore them, let’s get going!” Rayla flung one of Callum’s arms around her shoulder and Soren wrapped the prince’s other arm around his. Together they carried the tired sylph out of there with Nyx flying close behind.

Corvus strained to get up and shouted, “Savor your victory, dragon! Next time you won’t be so lucky!”

“Says the guy in the ditch!” Rayla shouted back with a satisfied smile on her face.

(~)

While Soren and Nyx were looking for Callum and Rayla, Claudia was gathering up their supplies in case they would need to leave once the two royals were found.

Ezran helped too by mounting several bags onto Zym’s side, making sure they were secure. Ezran learned a few equine techniques thanks to Callum whenever he needed help tending to Chestnut. He wondered if the mare missed them.

“So, um... did you know you were kind of sleep talking before? What were you dreaming about?”

Claudia almost dropped her things. “Uhhhh, I don’t remember. Why? I didn’t say anything... questionable out loud, did I?” She stuttered, heart racing and face turning pale.

“No, you were saying stuff like, “No, not them!” And, “Please don’t hurt them.” You sounded really upset.”

“Oh...yeah,” Claudia looked down at her feet. Ezran wasn’t too far off, she really was upset. She didn’t want to lie to Ezran but... she didn’t want to talk about the nightmare either. “I was, um...”

“You were dreaming about Evie’s family, weren’t you?”

Ezran was half right. Claudia did see Evie’s siblings in her dream, but that wasn’t all she saw. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ve been, um... thinking about them a lot, lately. I keep wondering if I could have done something to save them.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Claudia.”

Bless Ezran’s, kind heart. He meant well, but Claudia knew he was wrong. In a way, it kind of was her fault. She never should have told her father about them. She knew of the risks, but would that have changed anything? Would Viren had found them either way even if she didn’t tell him? She thought she could trust him.

To her relief, Soren and Nyx returned, with Callum and Rayla to boot.

“Where were you guys?” Ezran asked.

“No time to talk,” Callum said, picking up his brother and placing him on Zym’s back. “Faerie hunters. Need to leave. Now!”

“Faerie hunters?”

“We’ll explain on the way. Go, go, go!” Rayla said as she and Nyx gathered up the rest of their things and the group hurried out of their campsite, making sure to leave nothing behind.

(~)

Corvus, Allen, and Tristan were groggy from the blast. Allen started panicking when he saw nothing but darkness. “Oh, no! Guys, I think I’ve gone blind!” He touched his face, which felt softer than normal. He then realized it was just his cape which landed on his face. “Oh. Never mind, I’m good.”

“Well, that was humiliating,” Tristan said while combing his luscious blond hair. “Thwarted by a couple of kids.”

“Yeah, but you have to admit, they made a really cute couple,” Allen commented, folding his hands together and rubbing the, against his cheek. Tristan rolled his eyes.

“Enough!” Corvus shouted, “We’re going after those two.”

“Do you think what that kid was saying was true?” Tristan said, “That he’s the prince?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You saw what he did, he’s a faerie! A creature. For all, we know he took on the guise of the prince to try and throw us off. But it won’t work. Let’s get a move on.”

“Okay, but can we at least get some breakfast?” Allen rubbed his belly. “I’m starving.”

Corvus facepalmed. “Fine. We’ll eat on the way.”

“But I’ll get a cramp,” Allen whined. Tristan rolled his eyes and handed Allen back his sword.

“Get a grip, man! Remember, you’re a hunter. Hunters don’t complain.”

“They do if they couldn’t eat their sweet potato muffins this morning.”

Corvus ignored Allen and Tristan’s complaining and returned to the spot where they found the dragon and her faerie companion. To his luck, they left behind a very helpful item.

The boy’s blue jacket.

(~)

The group carried on as far as they could without stopping, making sure to cover up their tracks. Nyx used her wind powers to cover up their footprints with dirt and leaves and mud and made sure to have Zym fly rather than walk. The hunters would be sure to spot his unicorn tracks.

After a while, Ezran jumped off of Zym and started unpacking their things to find something to eat since they weren’t able to properly have breakfast.

Callum tried searching for his jacket but then froze. “Oh, no.”

“What ‘oh, no’?” Rayla asked with visible worry.

“My jacket. I left it back there!”

“What?!” Soren shouted.

“So? You’ve got twenty just like it back home.” Claudia said.

“Yeah, except these guys are hunters! They’re trained to track stuff down!” Soren exclaimed. The angry knight turned towards the step-prince, fuming mad. “What were you thinking?”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to—“ Callum stopped when Soren grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him.

“You think just because you’re a faerie now you can do whatever you want? You’re in more danger now than you’ve ever been. Get that through your thick stubborn head!”

Soren didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but the idea of anything happening to Callum shook him to his core. He was supposed to be watching over him, protecting him and his brother, and instead, he almost let him be captured by faerie hunters.

“Soren!” Rayla tried to pry him away from Callum, who’s tattoos were glowing again.

“Let me go!” Callum pushed Soren off of him, unleashing a gust of wind that sent Soren flying into the air in an aggressive whirlwind. Claudia gasped as she watched her brother was float into the air, hoisted by nothing but the wind.

“Whoa, whoa! Somebody get me down from here!”

“Callum, what are you doing?” Claudia exclaimed, seeing Callum’s tattoos glowing as the winds around him started going out of control. The ends of his red scarf and his hair flapped in the wind. Rayla grabbed him by the shoulder and guided him through his breathing exercises.

The winds started to calm down and Soren landed stomach first on the ground. He laid there, arms and legs spread out and his cape draped over his head. Claudia rushed to his aid while Nyx couldn’t help but laugh a bit. He looked so funny while flailing his arms and legs around like a drunk puppet.

Claudia shot the dragon a glare and she stopped. “Sorry, sorry.”

“What’s the big idea, step-prince!” Soren yelled, addressing Callum by his less than likable nickname.

“Enough, Soren!” Rayla yelled back, “His powers are settling in, it’s not his fault.”

“Oh, I’m sorry if I’m a little behind on my knowledge of faerie puberty!”

“Stop it!” Ezran jumped in, spread out his arms in front of both groups. “No more fighting. We’ll just go another way. One that’s safer.”

“Ez is right,” Rayla said, then pointed to the rocky pathway leading to the mountains. “We should head for tougher terrain. It’ll be harder for them to track us. The tougher the better.”

“Well, that sounds lovely,” Nyx said.

“No it doesn’t, it sounds terrible,” Soren said.

“Sarcasm is a foreign language for you, isn’t it?”

“We’re going this way,” Rayla said commandingly, taking the lead.

“Wait, shouldn’t I be taking the lead here?” Soren said just as Rayla leaped onto the first rock. “I’m the oldest and the certified guard.”

Rayla groaned. Now was really not the time for Soren to get on his high horse. “Fine, whatever. Lead the way, Sir Soren.”

“Alright. Watch and learn, kids.” Soren stretched and cracked his knuckles before climbing up the rocks. The others watched and waited until he fell back on the ground. Soren jumped back up and tried again... then fell back a couple of seconds later. He tried again, and again, securing his foot on steady rocks which gave way and he slipped yet again. One time he slid down like a snail going backward. Everyone else watched with unamused expressions, even the animals. Zym whinnied sympathetically and licked a frustrated Soren’s face with his tongue.

“Okay, as the leader, I have decided to let Rayla, who is clearly more experienced in this sort of field, to take the reigns here.”

Rayla affectionately patted him on the head. “It was a valiant effort.”

She had Zym carry Ezran and Bait to the top, while Nyx carried Claudia by grabbing her waist and dragging her like a piece of luggage. It was a less than stellar experience for the mage.

Rayla helped Callum climb up. Being a faerie made him more nimble and quick, allowing him to leap onto the rocks. He almost slipped on one and Rayla pulled him back up. His balance still needed some work. Nyx then swooped down to pick up Soren.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You only fell off like six times. Most people slip twice that much.” Nyx said, trying to liven the mood. Her upbeat demeanor dropped when she saw Soren still sitting on the ground looking deflated. It was no fun picking on a man while he was down. Not even Nyx was that cruel. She sighed and offered him her hand.

“Come on, quick your sulking. A knight always gets back up, right?”

“Was your attempt on a pep talk?” Soren asked.

“I’m more than just a pretty face.”

The corner of Soren’s mouth pulled upwards and he gave her his hand. She pulled him back up. “Uh, are you sure this is safe?” Soren asked.

“As long as you hold on tight, Blondie,” Nyx said, pulling him close by the waist and flew up into the air at breakneck speed. Soren screamed and wrapped his arms around Nyx’s neck. The experience wasn’t as intimidating as when Callum flew him into the air, but it was still heart-pounding adrenaline that made his teeth vibrate and make his skin prickle with bumps.

Once they landed Soren found himself still clinging onto Nyx for dear life. He quickly removed his arms, realizing he was a little too close. “Oh, sorry! Um, thanks for the lift.”

“No problem. Next time turn your head in the other direction when you scream.” Nyx wiggled her finger in her right ear. His girlish screams would be stuck in her head for days now.

With everyone safely on the other side, they went on their way, hoping the hunters wouldn’t track them down.

(~)

The group carried on for hours, walking through hard, rocky terrain, rarely stopping. Zym was more than happy to let Ezran hitch a ride on his back. The young prince shared his banana and peanut butter sandwich with Bait. Claudia and Rayla picked someone berries on the way, the mage sharing a few with Evie.

Every now and again, Callum would feel a spark of power surging through him. Once or twice he let one slip and he struck a tree, leaving a burnt mark, or scaring off a little squirrel or a fox that was nearby. Callum apologized multiple times for singing the tip of its tail. 

Soren didn’t speak to him the entire time. Callum knew he was still angry. He didn’t mean to cause trouble, but it wasn’t his fault he couldn’t control his powers, and nobody could say he wasn’t trying. He had only recently discovered his faerie heritage, but that didn’t change the fact that the hunters were after them because of his reckless actions.

Rayla walked beside him, sensing his distress. “Are you okay?”

“Me? I’m great! Despite the fact that we’re being tracked down by faerie hunters, but other than that, I’m just peachy.”

Rayla normally found his sarcasm adorable, but this time, it was just sad. “You shouldn’t blame yourself. I’m the one who told you to throw that lightning spear at me.”

“You didn’t know there were hunters nearby. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Let’s just agree that we both should have been more careful and leave it at that.” Rayla reached for his hand, “Besides if those hunters come after you again, they’re going to have to answer to me.”

Callum smiled. “My hero.”

“Who knows, those guys are probably miles away by now. They would have caught up with us by now.”

(~)

For all of Nyx’s efforts and Rayla’s ingenuity, they were not expecting Corvus’s impeccable tracking skills. He managed to find the hidden tracks they tried to cover up, including the vague unicorn hooves, the tiny broken sticks, and of course, the scaly feathers that were left behind. The three hunters followed the trail until it abruptly ended near a rocky ledge.

Corvus didn’t see any more tracks so he rationalized that they were trying to outsmart them by going through harder terrain.

It wouldn’t be long now before they had that dragon and her faerie companion in their clutches.

(~)

“Alright, let’s stop and eat. I’m starving.” Rayla said as she stretched. Ezran jumped off Zym and allowed him to drink some water from a nearby pond.

“Hey!” Claudia poked her head into her bag, rummaging through it but sound nothing but crumbs. “Who ate all of my raisin rice cakes?”

“Don’t look at me,” Soren said.

“I didn’t go through your things,” Rayla said.

“Me neither,” Callum said.

“I don’t even like raisins,” Ezran said.

“Maybe the same person who drank all my moon berry juice.” Nyx waved the now empty bottle in her hand. “I warned you people what would happen if you touched my stuff!”

“Well, I didn’t take it,” Claudia said, placing her hand over her heart. Everyone’s heads turned at the sound of a very loud burp... coming from Bait, who was glowing a bright berry red.

“Wait a minute.” Nyx hissed, “Did that little frog monster...” Bait burped again. She could detect the faint scent of berry and raisins mixed in with sugary rice.

“Bait wouldn’t do that. Don’t accuse him!” Ezran said, trying to defend his friend. But Bait’s glowing color and the smell of his breath every time he burped really wasn’t helping his case.

“Really? Then he wouldn’t mind me taking a little looky-loo inside his belly.” Nyx said as she pulled out her claws. Bait gulped.

“Nyx put those away!” Rayla ordered. The SkyWing reluctantly complied.

“It’s fine, Nyx.” Callum said as he went through his belongings, “You can have some of my—Who ate my secret stash of leftover fish heads!”

Claudia shuddered and felt like vomiting, her face turning almost as green as her eyes. “You are dead to me.” She moaned.

Callum noticed Zym hiding behind a rock. “ _Zyyyyym,_ ” Callum called for him like a stern father. The alicorn poked his head out and whinnied in shame, hanging his head low.

“Looks like I found out who ate my greasy jerky trail mix,” Soren said while pulling Evie out from his own bag, holding her by the tail.

Claudia gasped, “Evie! You know jerky hardens your poop.”

“I don’t even want to know how you know that,” Soren said in disgust.

The snake sprite hissed in shame. Soren let her go and she fluttered towards Claudia with her head hung low. The mage couldn’t stay mad at her, but Soren wasn’t too amused.

“And this is exactly why we shouldn’t have brought pets on this trip.”

Rayla stood up from where she sat, “Calm down. We may not have a lot of your human food, but nature is plentiful with everything we need.” She said while plucking a berry from a nearby bush.

“Please don’t tell me you want us to start eating bugs.” Soren shuddered at the thought.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Callum blushed, “They’re... actually not so bad.” Everyone stared at him like he was crazy. “Okay, I admit it! I ate a couple of worms on the way up here! I couldn’t help it, they looked so juicy! It’s a faerie thing, don’t judge me!” Callum covered his face with his hands.

“Dude,” Claudia didn’t know how to respond to that. She was never one to find bugs all that gross, but the idea of eating them was going off the rails.

“Oh, like what you just said wasn’t any less gross!” Callum snapped back.

Soren rubbed his forehead and grunted in frustration and stood up, marching forward.

“I think he’s gotten a little hangry,” Nyx said to Rayla, which earned her a chuckle.

“I’m absolute hurious!” Soren yelled back.

“That’s when you’re so hungry that you’re furious.” Ezran said.

“ _I know what it means!_ ”

(~)

The group traveled down the terrain past thick rocks that formed somewhat of a natural pathway. The ground was hard on their feet but at least they hadn’t seen any trace of the hunters as of yet. Soren’s stomach still growled. Those berries were delicious but they just didn’t cut it, and their supplies were running low. Soren needed meat, not just fruits and veggies.

“When we reach softer ground can we please find a town so we can sleep and eat an actual meal. One that’s cooked and served on a plate instead of on rocks?” Soren said.

“Sure, and maybe while we’re at it we can hit the spa and get ourselves a pedicure,” Claudia said with obvious sarcasm.

“Oh, that’s a great idea! Maybe a deep tissue massage while we’re at it. My knots have got knots” Soren said while rubbing his shoulder. Claudia rolled her eyes. Nyx was right, sarcasm really was a foreign language for him.

Rayla’s ears perked upwards at the sound of something in the bushes nearby. She outstretched her hand, a nonverbal command to stay still and quiet.

“What is it?” Callum asked. Zym whinnied and hid behind Callum. Thinking fast, Nyx grabbed a cloak from Ezran’s backpack and draped it over Callum’s shoulders to hide his markings.

“Stay here. I’m going to go check it out.” Rayla said, hurrying to the sound as quietly as a snake slithering through the field.

“Wait!” Soren called out, “Maybe I should—“ he was shushed by Nyx, holding her finger close to her lips. Soren sighed in crippling defeat. Once again, Rayla or somebody else was capable of protecting the group while he was left in the dust. It wasn’t even a matter of pride, it was a matter of keeping his word to the king. Maybe he still could.

“Claudia, you stay here with the princes.”

“What? What are you—“ Claudia was cut off when Soren rushed in the direction Rayla went to. “Soren, come back!” The mage groaned and facepalmed. What was with him today?

In the forest, Rayla tiptoed around the trees, waiting for the sound again. She heard somebody approaching and jumped, pushing the trespasser to the ground.

“Hey!”

“Soren?!” Rayla jumped off and helped him back up. “What are you doing here?”

“I came as backup.”

“What about the others?”

“Relax, Claudia’s with them, and so is Nyx.”

Rayla wanted to argue but knew now was not the time. Why Soren was being a blockhead now she didn’t know. She heard another sound and pushed Soren out of the way, only to get caught in the iron net. She screamed in agony at the iron burning her skin.

Soren picked up his sword but was overpowered by Allen who appeared from the shadows of the trees and knocked him out from behind. Corvus and Tristan looked over Rayla, who hissed at them.

“Where’s your faerie boyfriend, little one?” Tristian asked in an infuriatingly taunting voice.

“Oh, he’ll come.” Corvus kneeled before Rayla, smiling sadistically. “Can’t catch a fish without bait.”

(~)

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Callum said. Soren and Rayla have been gone for a while and he couldn’t hear anything. Without thinking twice he rushed to where they disappeared. The others quickly followed. Now was not the time to debate on whether or not this was a wise idea. They gasped when they saw Soren on the ground, rubbing his head.

“Soren! Are you okay?” Claudia rushed to her brother, checking his head for bruises or cracks. 

“What happened?” He asked as he winced from the smash he got on the back of his head.

“Oh, no!” Claudia fearfully grabbed his face with her hands, pressing his cheeks together and squishing his lips. “Soren, it’s me, Claudia, you’re sister. Do you remember me? When’s your birthday? What’s your favorite color? When was the last time you read my diary?”

“Clushiastopspushingmyfsace.”

“What?”

Soren pulled her hands away, “I said; Claudia, stop squishing my face! I’m fine. A little dizzy, but fine.”

“What happened? Where’s Rayla?” Callum asked, helping Soren stand up.

“The hunters, they found us,” Soren said.

Zym sniffed the ground and Callum detected a familiar scent. “Iron. Zym, can you track them down?”

Zym sniffed the air, spread his wings, and led the way. “So the horse can track stuff now. That’s a thing.” Soren said as he ran after them.

(~)

Rayla had her hands tied to a tree by strong chains. At least these weren’t enchanted and didn’t burn her. Still didn’t make the experience any less pleasant. While the hunters were eating near a dim-lit fire, Rayla couldn’t stop thinking about the others. No doubt they would come to rescue her, and at least they had a fighting chance against these guys as a group. But that was exactly what these hunters wanted. If they saw Nyx they wouldn’t hesitate to try and grab her too.

The smell of cooked meat was enticing to the dragon girl but she refused to let that show. The berries were good but, like a dragon, meat called to her like a siren’s hypnotic melody. Allen, the biggest and definitely the simplest of the trio, somehow was able to notice this internal struggle the dragon girl was having with herself. Her nostrils flared with every juicy bite they took of their meaty meal.

Allen got up and offered her a piece of his own turkey leg. Rather than toss it at her feet like a dog he held it up to her face.

“Are you hungry?” He asked. Rayla found his innocence adorable and his generosity sweet. She showed her sharp teeth and took a huge bite off of the turkey left and ripped the meat right off, leaving a very big chunk that revealed some bone. She chewed and swallowed before thanking him.

“Thank you. You know, for a hunter you seem like a very sweet guy.”

“Yeah, but Tristan and Corvus don’t like it very much,” Allen said, sitting down in front of Rayla. “I think they’re just cranky that we haven’t had a good catch in months. Or maybe a year. I keep loosing track.”

“Ouch.” Rayla grimaced. “No wonder you guys were so persistent to catch us.”

“So, is it true? Is that boy really Prince Callum?”

Rayla nodded. “He is. He’s actually half-faerie.”

“Half faerie? How did that happen?”

“I...’d rather not go into detail about that. My point is, we didn’t mean you any harm. The only reason we attacked was because you tried to capture us like wild animals. How would you react if someone tried doing that to you?”

Allen scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, you make a good point. To be honest, being a faerie hunter wasn’t even my first career choice. I’ve always wanted to be a poet.”

“You don’t say.”

“Yeah, but you know how hard it is for independent artists to land a secure job in this economy. For a while, being a faerie hunter paid the bills, but now it’s a dying business.”

“Then why stay in the business if it’s just going under?”

“Tristian and I mostly stick around because of Corvus. You see, he used to be the bodyguard of a nobleman, but when he failed to protect him from a Minotaur the poor guy hasn’t been the same since.”

Rayla looked over at Corvus. He really did look like a man who was scorned, beaten, and chewed up by the world only to spit out with little remains of the man he once was.

“He’s a good man at heart, he’s just rough around the edges.”

“Yeah, I get it. Life can be really cruel sometimes. It’s why we have friends to pick us up when the chips are down. Even if he might not show it, Corvus is lucky to have a friend like you.”

Allen blushed, hiding his face with his hands, “Aww, chucks.”

“Allen!” Corvus shouted, “Stop conversing with the dragon. Do not be swayed by her silver tongue.”

“But her tongue's not silver,” Allen said.

“It’s true. See.” Rayla stuck out her tongue to prove this claim.

Corvus wasn’t amused and simply pulled Allen away by the ear. Rayla gave the big guy a compassionate smile. Allen smiled back.

During her time in Katolis, Rayla learned that humans weren’t always as clear cut as they appeared. She was reminded of what her father told her, about how humans were lost and desperate at times. Her heart went out to Corvus and his friends. She wondered what else they could be asked from just faerie hunters.

Rayla’s head jerked up when she heard a girlish scream from Tristan. “Snake! Field snake!” He screamed, hiding behind Allen. Rayla saw the snake on the ground... and her tucked in butterfly wings pressed tightly against her body.

It was Evie!

While they were distracted by the snake slithering around their things they heard a twinkling noise coming from the treetops. The noise sounded like tiny jingling bells and flickers of bright colorful lights blinked through the leaves of one of the tall trees.

“Pixies! Our luck is changing, boys.” Tristian said, pulling out his dagger. What the hunters didn’t know was that the jingling bells were curtesy of Ezran, waving a bunch of tiny bells around. They were part of some old toys he gathered from the Banther Lodge, thinking they might be of service. From a very young age, Ezran learned that toys could be used for more than just playthings. He learned that when his father pricked his big toe after stepping on one of his tin soldiers.

The glowing lights were Bait, manipulating his ability to change color to make it look like pixies. With them distracted Nyx, in the form of a small raven, flew downwards toward Rayla. She gave the princess a salute with her wing and carefully dropped a few droplets of the steaming hot melting potion onto the chains. The metal dissolved before her eyes, impressing the SkyWing. The former dark mage still had a knack for potions, she would admit but there was no way she would say it out loud.

Rayla stealthily snuck behind the tree but Corvus’s hunting senses detected something was off. Pixies didn’t normally fly about in one place, nor in such a repetitive manner. It didn’t appear natural. That’s because it wasn’t.

“It’s a trick!” Corvus shouted, just as Allen was hoisting Tristan up the tree. The hunters saw their capture running towards the forest. Corvus quickly picked up his grappling hook and chased after her. Nyx changed back into her draconic form and pulled out her scepter. Just them, Soren jumped out from behind the bushes, with leaves sticking out of his dirty blond hair and he spits a couple out of his mouth.

“Man, I hate camping,” Soren muttered.

“A crown guard? What are you doing here?” Corvus immediately recognized the style of the armor. This young man was one of King Harrow’s knights. What was he doing out here? Was he tracking the dragons as well?

“That’s far enough, pal!” Soren pointed his sword at the hunter while Nyx hissed threateningly. Corvus didn’t understand. Was he... with these monsters?

“Consider this payback for knocking me out earlier.”

Nyx swung her straw, unleashing a gust of wind that sent the hunter flying backward into the air. He landed hard on the ground, losing consciousness, his weapon flew out of his grip.

“Aww, come on! I had him.” Soren complained.

“Sorry, you were talking too much,” Nyx said, right before Allen and Tristan showed up. “Take your pick, Blondie.”

Soren couldn’t resist smiling in satisfaction at getting a second chance at getting back at these guys. “How sweet. The big fella’s mine.”

“Who you calling ‘big’!” Allen roared, then his voice shrunk down in volume, “Just so you know, I’m not fat, I’m just round, okay.”

“Oh, no, no, I didn’t mean it that way.” Soren apologized, “I meant big as in you’re really, really tall. And buff, fit like an ox.”

Allen blushed at the compliment, “Aww, you’re just saying that.”

“No, really, honest truth.”

Nyx gave Soren a dumbfounded look. “Is this is a fight or are you trying to land a date?

“Right, sorry.” Both Soren and Allen got into position and charged, while Nyx had Tristan in her clutches.

Rayla watched from behind a tree and sensed tow strangers behind her. She turned around, ready to fight but quickly calmed down once she realized it was Callum and Claudia. Ezran appeared beside her, carrying Bait who carried the bells in his mouth.

“Great thinking, guys,” Rayla said.

“Let’s get Soren and Nyx and get out of here,” Claudia said.

“Uh, I think they’re a little busy at the moment.” Callum pointed to where the two continued to fight Allen and Tristan.

“Oh, come on! Seriously!” Claudia's face palmed then cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered harshly, “Strike and attack were supposed to be plan B, Soren. Plan B!”

Soren dodged Allen’s aggressive strikes while Nyx numbly jumped and leaped over Tristan like a playful monkey with wings. She spun in the air once then knocked Tristan down with one swipe to the leg.

“Hey, you swept the leg!” Soren could not believe what he just said. He could already picture Callum’s smug face in his mind. From behind the tree, Callum was indeed savoring this moment.

A half-smile formed on Nyx’s face at Soren’s childlike interest in her combat moves. She then screamed in pain when she felt a burning iron wrap around her wing. She roared in pain and fell on her knees.

“Nyx!” Soren charged at Corvus, swinging his sword. “Back off, pal!” He cried out but was then pushed back by Tristan when he kicked him in the stomach, then punched his jaw before landing a final kick to his hand, sending his sword flying. The tip pierced the grass and Soren was kicked where the sun-don’t-shine and he fell to his knees.

For a guy with near-flawless hair and equally near-flawless mustache, he sure knew how to fight. Callum and Ezran winced seeing Soren in physical pain. Nyx’s wings were burning, the smell of burning feathers and blood filled the air.

Rayla and the others jumped out from their hiding spot and Claudia unleashed her hydra whip, snapping Corvus’s wrist, forcing him to release the chains. Zym flew downwards, unleashing a strike of lightning from his horn at the ground where Corvus stood, forcing him to dance backward away from the SkyWing. 

Claudia quickly removed the iron and Nyx hissed in pain. Rayla and Callum helped her to stand back up. “My wing... I can’t fly.”

Allen and Tristan cornered the group and Corvus got back up again. “Okay, I admit it, this guy’s really good,” Rayla said.

“Please, just let us go.” Callum pleaded. Claudia shielded Ezran from the hunters while Zym spread his wings, horn crackling as he stood protectively in front of his companions.

“Hand over the dragon and we’ll let _you_ live.”

“How is that better?”

Soren reached for his sword, pulled out from the ground, and faced Corvus. “As Captain of the Crown Guard of Katolis, I order you to stand down.”

“Why are you helping these monsters?”

“Hey! Just because they have tails and wings and glowing tattoos doesn’t make them any less human. Wait...” when Soren caught what he just said the others behind him hung their heads and sighed in exasperation. “Never mind, you know what I mean!”

“Those monsters attacked Katolis and tried to kill the king!”

“Okay, yeah sure, but _they_ didn’t kill anyone.” Soren pointed to Rayla and Nyx specifically.

“Their leader did. What’s the difference?”

“Fine, if you won’t spare them because they’re dragons then spare them for the sake of the princes.”

“Not this nonsense again. You expect me to believe that that... _thing_ is a son of King Harrow!”

Callum felt like an arrow was shot right at his chest. Even when growing up a prince for half of his life Callum always suspected people thought less of him because he wasn’t of royal by birth, only through marriage. But this... this feeling of being labeled a monster because of his faerie parentage burned a lot more than all of the “step-prince” comments thrown together. His emotions flared, along with the glowing of his tattoos.

Not this again.

Corvus’s comment ignited something within Soren. A protective instinct he hadn’t fully felt since he, Claudia, and Callum were little kids. He tightened his grip on his swore and when he spoke it was enough to give even the nonchalant Nyx feel a chill go up to her spine.

“In the name of King Harrow, lay down your weapon and surrender.”

“Corvus!” Allen spoke, “Listen to the kid. We can get the money another way.”

“This isn’t just about the money!” Corvus shouted, “This is about putting these creatures in their place! They have ruined too many lives and they will continue to do so unless we stop them!”

“You shouldn’t blame all faes for the mistake of one.” Rayla said, “I’m sorry about what happened to you but venting your anger on all of us isn’t going to make your pain go away.”

“Maybe, but at least it will fill my empty pockets.” Corvus swings his hook one more time, his eyes filled with a rage that scared even Tristan, who normally wasn’t so easily intimidated by Corvus’s outbursts.

“Corvus, calm down. Take a breathe, man.”

Callum took the blond hunter’s advice to heart and tried to breathe to calm his nerves but his tattoos continued to glow and the energy was already growing hotter and hotter against his palms.

Rayla saw Callum’s struggle to keep his powers in. “Callum!”

“I can’t... hold it in... much longer....” Callum hugged his stomach, feeling his magic growing stronger like an out of control wildfire. His tattoos glowed brighter and brighter and the winds around his increased.

Everyone else shielded themselves from the intense winds but Rayla reached out and stayed at Callum’s side. He was on his knees, breathing haggardly as though he were suffocating. Rayla wrapped her arms around him, whispering in his ear as strings of sparks crackled harmlessly around their bodies.

Ezran tried reaching for his brother by the sparks burned his fingers. Claudia held him close while Zym shielded them both with his wings which absorbed the energy radiating off of Callum.

Soren stood his ground and shielded Nyx, her wing still badly hurt while Allen and Tristan were being pushed back by the winds. Corvus, in his toxic stubbornness, marched forward, forcing himself through the winds to reach them. Rayla hissed at the hunter.

“Stay back!” She ordered, her voice becoming a roar.

But Corvus didn’t listen, he kept on going, pulling a dagger from his pocket. Soren tackled the hunter at the waist and the two rolled away from the two.

Callum opened his eyes, which glowed a bright white, and a pulse of energy sent a shockwave across the mountainside. Corvus and Soren rolled on the ground, stopping by the ledge. Corvus was father to the edge. His grappling hook struck the rocks, creating a crack around him, which would soon give way and crumble beneath him, sending him to the rapid waters down bellow. His own weapon cemented his fate.

Soren, his hair a mess, reached out to him. “Give me your hand!”

Trembling, Corvus reached out but it was too late. The rocks shattered and the man screamed as he fell. Allen and Tristan heard his screams and rushed to the edge. Callum’s eyes returned to normal and he could think and see clearly again. He and Rayla hurried to the edge where they saw Corvus hanging onto his life on the side of the cliff. The rocks weren’t very strong and his hand was slipping.

“Corvus, hang on buddy!” Allen called out from bellow. Callum felt personally responsible for this. It didn’t matter that he tried to hunt him and Rayla down like wild animals, he refused to sink to his level of hatred and vengeance. This wasn’t going to help any of them in the long run. It never did anyway.

Corvus tried climbing up but his hand slipped and he fell again. Callum felt his tattoos glowing and, he couldn’t explain it but, it was as if something was compelling him to jump. An instinct, or a spell that pulled him towards the ledge. Or perhaps it was his conscience? Either way, Callum couldn’t fight it and he jumped off, spiraling headfirst with his hands outstretched as though he were taking a dive. 

“CALLUM!!” Everyone’s screams could be heard from miles around. Rayla felt her heart being torn out of her chest. Callum with his stupid heroic nature was risking his life to save someone they barely knew. Without thinking twice, or even considering the consequences, Rayla jumped after him as well.

“RAYLA!” Claudia stretched out her hand to grab her friend but she was already far from her reach. Soren couldn’t breathe as Ezran, Claudia and Nyx stood on the ledge, watching helplessly as their friends spiral red downwards to their doom.

(~)

 _What was I thinking?!_ Callum thought to himself as he fell downwards from the cliff, the rapid waters right bellow. Corvus had already accepted his fate but was stunned to see the sylph boy coming after him. Rayla pushed herself forward, seeing Callum and reaching for his hand.

“Rayla?!”

“If we live through this, remind me to kill you!” Rayla shouted in his ear due to the winds almost drowning out her voice. They were getting closer to Corvus, both reaching out to grab his outstretched arms. The pain and fear in the hunter’s eyes were evident and tears floated out of his eyes. For him, this was the end.

Rayla’s pupils became slits while Callum’s increased, resembling those of a hawk. A burst of magic spiraled around them and from their backs sprouted two pairs of wings!

For Rayla they were bat-like with deep blues scales and clear sky blue membranes with diamond-like scales spread out to resemble a starry night. For Callum, a pair of dark brown feathered wings almost as large as Nyx’s. Callum felt the wind against them and newfound strength and power overtook him. Falling no longer terrified him, the winds didn’t command where he fell, he now commanded the winds bellow him.

The couple grabbed Corvus’s arms, flapped their respective wings, and flew upwards back to the ledge from whence they fell. Everyone else watched in awe when the two flew back up with Corvus in one piece.

Everybody dropped their jaws and Soren gave a very auditable, “Whaaaaaaaaa...”

Zym galloped with glee just as the two landed on the ground, gently dropping Corvus. “You... you saved me?”

“Not bad for a couple of ‘monsters’, huh?” Rayla said, folding her arms.

“Callum! Rayla!” Ezran jumped into his big brother’s arms, tackling him to the ground. “Are you crazy in the head?!” He grabbed Callum by the collar and shook him aggressively, “You almost gave me a heart attack! I’m only ten, I should not have to deal with this level of stress!” He then flew his arms around him and cried, “I love you so much!”

Callum hugged him back, breathing in and out in relief, “I love you too.”

Claudia tackled Rayla gave her the same talk Ezran gave Callum. “You’re alive!” The mage cried, then shook the dragon-like crazy, “Do that again and I’ll break your neck!” Then she hugged her, “I’m sorry, I don’t really mean that! I love you so much!”

Rayla laughed and hugged her back. “Love you, too.”

Corvus was greeted by a spine breaking hug, courtesy of Allen. “Corvus, buddy! You’re alive.”

Nyx hurried to check on the princess, “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” She asked, lifting one of her arms.

“I’m fine, Nyx. How are you?” Rayla inspected the SkyWing’s injured wing.

“Just a minor burn. I should be back in the air in a couple of days. Not that it’ll be a problem now.” She pointed to the pair of wings behind Rayla’s back.

“Ray, you got your wings!” Claudia cheered, “And Callum, you too! You both do!”

“Yeah, we already established that,” Nyx said.

Rayla felt like crying tears of joy. For the first time in six months, she could feel her beautiful, powerful wings sprouting out of her back again. She flapped them a couple of times and spun around in the air. The wind that formed around her from the strength of her wings made her burst out in laughter.

“Oh, my beautiful babies! How I’ve missed you.” Rayla stroked her scaly wings once she landed.

“Rayla, they’re beautiful,” Callum said.

“Thanks. Yours aren’t so bad either.”

Callum couldn’t believe it. He spun around a couple of times just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. He felt the almost weightless wings flap behind him, creating small gusts of wind that made some of the random leaves take off into the air. His tattoos stopped glowing and he felt... different, but also the same as before. He felt stronger, healthier than ever before. He felt whole.

“I have wings. I have wings!” Callum jumped up and his wings started flapping. He moved his arms and legs around, trying to regain his balance and fell on his rump. He blushed and chuckled, “Guess I still need some practice in the flying department.”

Rayla laughed and helped him back up. “How do you feel?”

Callum looked at his tattoos again, making sure they weren’t glowing again. He was so filled with elation that he pulled Rayla in for an impulsive kiss. Claudia covered Ezran’s eyes, much to his annoyance and Allen did the same with Tristan, who annoying shoved his big friend’s hand away.

Rayla wrapped her arms around Callum’s neck, deepening the kiss. When they parted, their foreheads were pressed together. “I feel... amazing. Better than I’ve felt my whole life!”

Soren approached the two, almost looking as though he was about to say something to scold them. Instead, he clasped his hand firmly on Callum’s shoulder. “The next time you jump off a cliff, I swear I’ll kill ya!”

Callum suspected Soren meant for that to come off as a threat, but he knew the knight well. The worry in his eyes conveyed a much different message; ‘I’m glad you’re okay. Don’t ever scare me like that again.’

“Thanks for having my back, Soren,” Callum said, tapping the knight’s hand which was still on Callum’s shoulder. Soren pulled back and cleared his throat.

Corvus, hanging his head in shame, spoke to the group. “You could have left me to die. Why did you risk your lives for me?”

“Do you really need to have the lesson drilled into your smooth skulled head?” Rayla tapped the side of her skull with her finger. “We’re really not so different from you humans. Sometimes we do bad things, sometimes we do good things, and sometimes we do stuff that’s in between. Excuse me if I don’t want to keep living in a world where we keep fighting each other.”

Corvus was still having a hard time wrapping his head around this. A dragon and a sylph dove down a cliff to save his life. There had to be a catch.

“You may have spared my life but don’t think this means I owe you anything.”

“Are you serious?” Soren said, “I have half a mind to—“ he was stopped when Callum stepped forward.

“We don’t want anything from you.” Callum said, channeling into his inner royal as he addressed the hunters who were still, technically citizens of Katolis. Harrow’s and Ezran’s subjects. His subjects. “All we ask is that you allow us to leave peacefully and that you out your hunting days behind you.”

“Deal,” Allen said, but had his hand slapped by Tristan.

“No! No deal! How are we supposed to make ends meet now? You think your poems are going to bring food on the table?”

“Actually,” Rayla spoke, “I might be able to help you boys with your financial issue. Claudia, you got any tweezers?”

Claudia scoffed, “Please, what do you take for me, a savage?” She pulled out a rolled-up leather pocket with all kinds of tweezers that came in various shapes, sizes, and styles. Everyone else gave her a disturbing look.

“What? Eyebrows like these don’t just happen, you know.”

(~)

“Thirteen... fourteen.... fifteen.” Rayla counted the last of the scales laid out on a napkin. She folded it and stuffed it into a velvet bag, tossing it to Tristan. “Here ya go. Genuine celestial dragon scales. Extremely rare, priceless, and should keep you boys well fed until you can land yourselves a steadier income.”

“But I thought you said—“ Corvus began, remembering their conversation from Etherial first encounter.

“Yeah, yeah, when you’re being threatened by hunters you’d bluff too. Don’t lie.”

“Huh, you’re not so bad, dragon,” Tristan said, then bowed like a gentleman. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, M’Lady.”

Rayla gave him a small curtsy then turned to Allen. “Never give up on your dreams, big guy. One day you’ll be inspiring hearts all across the human kingdoms.”

Allen wiped a tear and lifted Rayla up in a tight bear hug. “I’m gonna miss you, dragon lady.”

“Yeah... I’ll miss you too.” Rayla said in a squeaky voice, almost devoid of oxygen. She inhaled deeply once he let her go.

Allen elbowed Corvus, who was pouting like a disobedient child. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Rayla said.

“And please, accept my humblest apologies, my princes.” Corvus bowed to Callum and Ezran. “Oh, and here is your jacket back.” Corvus handed Callum the jacket he left behind, and which they used to track him down.

“Thanks. Though, I’m not sure it’ll fit me anymore.” Callum said, slighting turning to the side and his tucked-in wings partly opened up.

“You wouldn’t mind keeping this whole thing a secret, would you?” Soren said.

“Our lips are sealed,” Tristan replied, tossing the bag of dragon scales into the air a couple of times before securing it in his pocket. “Have a safe trip, kids. Let’s hit the pub, boys. Drinks are on me.”

The hunters waved goodbye, except for Corvus who just nodded and didn’t way a word. One rescue wasn’t going to remove years of anger and hatred, but at least it was a start.

“You know, they weren’t so bad once you got to know ‘em,” Ezran said as they went along the path, returning to their journey.

(~)

With the news that Viren would be tracking down the princes, Amaya and Gren prepared everything they were going to need for their journey. Their plan was set: They would find the kids before Viren did and protect them at all costs.

They had left their armor, now needing to wander the human kingdoms as vagabonds to keep Viren off their trail. Pip, who followed Siveth and recognized Amaya, rode on her shoulder. He tickled his feathers and the bird cooed in response. She was happy to have him here, a piece to remind her of her family while out on the road.

Siveth, still in her human disguise, pulled her hood over her head and adjusted her satchel. “So this is how it begins. Humans traveling with a disabled dragon to track down a group of children protecting the heart of the dragon king before a vile dark mage does. It truly is the end of days.”

Amaya would have added a sarcastic or witty quip, but when she mentioned “disabled” dragon, she didn’t have the heart to do so. This woman recently lost her wings and here she was, willing to traverse the human kingdoms, on foot, for her niece’s sake. Amaya admired her dedication and heart.

The trio made their way through the forest, watchful of the guards that patrolled the area during the day. Amaya led the way towards the Banther Lodge. They would begin their official search there and hope they arrived before Viren did.

(~)

“I can’t believe you gave those guys your royal scales, Princess,” Nyx said. Her wing was all bandaged up thanks to Claudia.

“Relax, they’ll grow back, and it was just a few.” Rayla chuckled, then rubbed some ointment on the arm from which she had Claudia yank off a few scales. It drew a little bit of blood, but it wasn’t so bad that it would leave a mark or become infected. Besides, these guys needed the money and she didn’t feel right to leave them empty-handed like that.

“So, Callum, what are you gonna do with your new wings?” Ezran asked while ridding on Zym’s back.

“Right now, I’m just wondering how I’m gonna sleep with these things,” Callum said, his wings partly flapping.

“Right _now_ , our biggest concern should be getting to Xadia without running into anyone else who wants to kill us.” Soren said, “We got lucky this time, but not everyone we meet is going to be swayed by the power of friendship.”

“Really? Because it seems to be working for us so far.” Ezran said. Zym whinnied in agreement.

“My point is, we can’t afford to make any more slip-ups. So, Callum, you and Rayla keep your faerie powers, or whatever, to a minimum. If we run into anyone else, keep your wings, and whatever new faerie parts that may pop out, hidden. Lastly, and this is important...” Soren loomed over the couple. “No. More. Sneaking. Off! Have I made myself clear?”

Soren may like to believe he was being intimidated, but he didn’t scare Callum or Rayla one bit. The knight was many things, but subtle wasn’t one of them. He wore his emotions and heart on his sleeve, so it was easy for them to read him. Just as well, they knew he was only trying to look out for them and, Callum had to admit, it was his fault they were found out in the first place, even if it was by accident.

“We got it,” Callum said.

“Good.” Soren pulled back and Callum could see the guilt in the knight’s eyes. “Let’s find lower ground and settle in for the night.”

Soren took the lead, and Callum hung his head in regret. Rayla grabbed his hand. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, just a little shaken.”

“Well, you did nose dive down a cliff to save a man’s life.”

“After I sent said guy flying backward onto the side of the cliff,” Callum said, feeling guilty.

“But you still saved his life and that’s what matters. It was dangerously stupid but noble.”

“I don’t know what came over me. I just had this feeling that if I jumped... I’d be okay. And, I just didn’t want him to die.”

“Those were your faerie instincts. _And_ your human instincts. Both sides working together.”

Callum smiled. In spite of what happened nobody held it against him. Rayla knew Callum would never harm anyone, and he was able to save Corvus. In her eyes, he was a hero. Callum intertwined his fingers through hers.

“Thanks for keeping me grounded.”

“Anytime. So, feeling anymore power surges?”

Callum waited for a few moments and shook his hands to see if any sparks would come out. Nothing. Even his tattoos were dormant. “No. I... think I’m good.”

“Okay, but remember if you ever need a personal lightning rod you know who to look for.” Rayla winked and Callum kissed her on the cheek.

Claudia, Nyx, Zym, and Ezran watched the two as the sun overhead began to set, bathing the sky in a rosy pink and orange glow. Claudia fiddled with her bag until her fingers brushed against a rolled-up piece of paper. It was Callum’s letter. Once again, she had completely forgotten about it. She slowed down her pace and stared at the red seal. She could open it and easily reseal it with magic but... no, she couldn’t.

Should she show it to Callum? What difference would it make? Could there possibly be something important for him to learn about? Something that could help them?

“Claudia?” Ezran’s voice broke her out of her train of thought. “Are you okay?”

Claudia hid the letter back in her bag. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” She lied. Evie hissed with concern and Claudia pretended she never saw the letter.

She would give it back but... not right now. Maybe when she could get him alone for a couple of minutes to hand it to him. It wouldn’t be so bad, right?

(~)

Viren and his group of hand-selected guards were ready to part. But there was one knight whom he did not request to join their expedition.

Marcos, a young guard only several years older than Soren, was speaking with Opeli. “Lord Viren,” the woman bowed her head in respect. “Marcos has offered to join you on your expedition.”

“Thank you for your dedication young man, but your services will not be required for this mission.”

“I understand Sir, but please allow me to join your search party. I’m a tracker and one can never have too many. If the threat to Xadia is to increase you will need all the help you can get.”

Viren narrowed his eyes. Marcos was a clever young man, and he knew he would ask one too many questions. His eyes darted to Opeli. This was her doing. She wanted Marcos to come as an insider spy to either sabotage or gather some sort of information on Viren’s secret plans. Viren needed to keep up appearances, so he agreed to allow Marcos to come along. He would find a way to get rid of him later.

“Very well. Get your horse and meet us at the gate.” Viren tugged on the horse’s reigns and the creature galloped ahead.

“Keep a close eye on Viren,” Opeli instructed, whispering in Marcos’s ear. “I don’t trust him to return the princes and Lady Rayla.”

“You have my word.”

(~)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. Sorry for the extended wait. Things got kind of messy on both me and Story’s end so this one too some time to edit. Apologies if it’s not perfect. Also, another reason why this is so late is because, I’ve been working hard on the draft of the first chapter of Flame and Sword, my Arthurian Legend retelling I told you about. While I was working on it some new ideas popped up for the story and, after two weeks of edits and rewrites, I think I finally got it right. If you’re interested it’s already posted on my Archive page.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/26142739
> 
> I hope you guys will give it a chance and share your thoughts on how it can improve. After two failed attempts at original stories (not counting the third because I’m still working on it) I’m feeling really good about this. My other two projects were too ambitious and the pressure was just overwhelming. I really want to get this one right.  
> If you like Arthurian Legend, romance and something else to quench that Dragon Prince thirst then this story (hopefully) will do just that.  
> Until next time. God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	18. Chapter 18

By the time they reached flat, soft ground the group set up camp. Soren was a trained warrior, but he absolutely loathed camping. He was still finding traces of dirt in his ears from sleeping on the ground from the night prior. Nevertheless, he swallowed his feelings and proceed to keep watch while Claudia, Callum, and Rayla set up a fire. Nyx was told by Rayla to rest near a tree, not wanting the SkyWing to sprain her already injured wing.

Callum dusted off his blue jacket then looked over his shoulder at his new wings. They felt so weightless he almost forgot they were even there. He was still in awe at the fact that he now had wings. Real sylph wings that were so long their feathered tips almost reached the ground and dragged behind him when he walked. Callum spread them open and wrapped them around his body. They felt really soft and warm like a blanket, he wanted to snuggle up inside them and never come out. Now he understood why Nyx slept like this.

Speaking of Nyx, Callum turned around to see the SkyWing grunting as she sat down. She tried covering herself with her wings like she normally did before going to sleep but when she did she grimaced in pain. The burn from Corvus’s iron chain prevented her from being able to fly as well as being able to stretch her wings.

Callum started at his jacket and smiled compassionately. He walked over to Nyx and draped the jacket around her shoulders. Nyx flinch at the generous gesture and looked up. Callum didn’t say anything, he just nodded and smiled. Nyx nodded back in thanks and felt her cheek beaten a bit.

Aside from Rhiannon, Nyx still wasn’t entirely used to others being kind just for the sake of it. Though now she could see why the princess fell for this little halfling. He was every bit as stupidly reckless and unapologetically kind as she was. He jumped off a cliff to save a man who tried to hunt him moments earlier just as the princess rescued Nyx’s life after she did nothing but steal a priceless jewel and try to escape.

Yep. They were definitely made for each other.

She almost jumped when she felt the alicorn and glow toad muzzle against her side and curl up together to sleep beside her. The glow toad released a tranquil glow as he slumbered near the alicorn, who’s right-wing partly blanketed the toad. Nyx had to admit, it was kind of adorable.

Soren saw the animals sleeping beside Nyx and he felt a warm and fuzzy feeling growing in his stomach. For a girl who didn’t have her dragon’s breath, she sure as heck could hold her own in a fight. He only wished he could have done something to prevent her from getting harmed.

By the time Claudia started cooking dinner, using the cooking tools she gathered from the Banther Lodge, night had already fallen. The crescent moon bathed the land in its ethereal glow and the stars twinkled like fireflies. Speaking of which, fireflies started appearing as well, glowing softly while floating gently above the group like tiny levitating lanterns.

Rayla had her wings wrapped around her shoulders, the hook claws locked together to resemble a bat-like cape. Callum and Ezran sat side by side, the eldest brother had one wing wrapped around his little brother, as they both scribbled away in their respected notebooks.

Rayla looked over and saw her boyfriend drawing sketches of his new wings alongside a full-body drawing of Rayla with her wings. Callum drew her in a pose that looked as though she were dancing, her wings spread out, and partly folding around her body like the trails of a gown. He looked up and saw Rayla staring at the drawing, immediately blushing. Rayla giggled, ruffling his hair.

Not to sound vain but, Rayla always liked it when Callum drew her in his art style. It wasn’t just about the accurate proportions, or flawless shades and lighting, but the way Callum could so effortlessly capture emotions and sketch them on paper never ceased to enthrall her. In her eyes, he wasn’t just drawing images, he was capturing their essence, their soul, in a way.

As for Ezran, he was writing down the accounts of their adventure, something he had been doing these past couple of days before going to sleep. Rayla too caught a glimpse of what Ezran was writing.

“What ya writing there, Ez?”

“Huh? What’d you say?” Ezran looked up, looking briefly lost before he regained his grip on reality. “Oh, sorry. I was scribbling down the accounts of our quest.”

Callum couldn’t help but chuckle. In spite of everything that’s happened, his little brother still saw this whole ordeal as an adventure. Of course, Callum knew Ezran was smart and he wasn’t blind to the serious situation of things, but the young prince always chooses to remain optimistic, which contrast to what others may believe, was not synonymous with ignorance.

For a ten-year-old, his penmanship could make an old grown poet weep with envy. The way he effortlessly wove words together and described locations and emotions as though he were reliving them all over again was capable of magically transporting anyone anywhere.

“I just hope Dad isn’t too mad when he finds out why we left home.”

Rayla’s smile began to thaw like melting ice. Her heart caught in her throat. A familiar emotion of anger and regret crept up from behind Rayla and she felt her body run cold like she had been dipped in ice.

“You might want to sugarcoat the life-threatening parts, though,” Callum suggested, pointing at one paragraph that spoke of their encounter with the giant fish. Ezran pulled his book away, closing it with his pencil cemented in between the pages of where he was writing.

“Hey, I don’t tell you how to make art, you don’t tell me how to write a compelling story.”

Callum held his hands up and scoffed. “Writers. So dramatic.”

“Alright, hazelnut soup, piping hot,” Claudia announced while pouring the hot liquids into individual bowls. Rayla was just happy that she could get her mind off of the king with a delicious meal. Even Nyx couldn’t resist the enticing aroma.

Soren excited slurped the soup without using a spoon. “Mmm. So good.” He licked his lips, savoring the taste and narrowing down the ingredients used in it. “Do I detect a hint of peppercorn?” He said, chewing on something crunchy.

“Uh...” Claudia’s eyes shot open and darted back and forth as she remembered that she may or may not have accidentally mixed up the hazelnuts with nut beetles while she was picking them. She was almost certain she got most of them out until Soren mentioned the crunching taste.

She gave her brother an awkward smile, “Sure, let’s with that.”

Rayla and Callum didn’t seem to mind, though Ezran stared at the food suspiciously before shrugging it off and eating anyways. It was all going to the same place. Soren grabbed an extra bowl and handed it to Nyx.

“Thanks,” she said nonchalantly as she accepted the bowl. Soren shrugged in response. The dragon girl wasn’t exactly an easy person to start a conversation with.

Ezran looked up at the stars and pointed to a familiar constellation right above them. “Hey, look! It’s Draco.”

“Oh, yeah.” Callum waved at the stars, “Hey, Draco!” He said. Rayla laughed at his silliness.

“Draco,” Soren repeated, remembering the familiar name, “Wasn’t he like some great dragon king or something?”

“Not just any dragon king. The very first dragon king and the father of the Tuatha De Dannan.” Callum explained.

“Wait, does this mean you’re related to him, Rayla?” Claudia asked, eyes wide with amazement.

“Not exactly. Before he ascended to the stars he made his disciple Danu the first Queen of Xadia. In fact, that’s what Tuatha De Dannan stands for; Children of Danu. She upheld Draco’s teachings and wrote them down in a thousand scrolls that the royal family still holds in the archives of Tir Na Nog to this day.”

Claudia tapped her chin, “Tir Na Nog... why does that sound familiar. Oh! I remember, from the books in the restricted section of the library back home. It says that Tir Na Nog is a small island surrounded by a magical mist and the home place of the Tuatha De Dannan. Legend says that all living things of Xadia first started there.”

“Somebody’s done her homework,” Nyx said in a dry tone of voice before taking a sip of her soup which was already halfway gone.

“You know, I just remembered we never finished our twenty questions game,” Ezran said.

Nyx shook her head, “Oh, no. No, no, no, I’m still getting water-log flashbacks. I’m hitting the hay early.” She grunted as she got up and Soren instinctively reached out to try and help her but stopped midway once she stood up and dusted her arms.

“The sooner I rest up the sooner my wing will stop aching. Night, night, kiddies.” She gave them a salute and retreated to the tree she was sleeping next to earlier, the shadows of the forest draped over her as she curled up against the tree trunk, her tail curling around her ankles.

“Not much of a conversationalist, is she?” Callum said.

“I heard that!” Nyx hissed, making Callum flinch.

“We’re not going to sleep right now, are we?” Ezran asked hopefully, “There’s so much I want to know. Like, in Xadia, is it true that there’s magic everywhere you look? How exactly does that work? Is magic engraved into a faerie or animal’s body, or is it like an energy that floats around like dust particles?”

Rayla laughed in amusement at Ezran’s curiosity. “Slow down there, curious one. To answer your first question, yes magic is pretty much in everything in Xadia. It’s a biological thing found in most plants, animals and of course—“ she points to herself and then to Callum, “Fae creatures. No, it’s not exactly the energy that floats around that you can bend to your will. It’s just part of the vibrancy and spirit of things, you know. In fact, in ancient times we didn’t even call it magic.”

This almost made Claudia do a spit take. “What do you mean?”

“Well, before the great divide, we didn’t see our powers as magic or anything separate from something else. It was just there, like how a bird naturally knows how to fly, or how a lion knows how to roar.”

“But I thought humans weren’t born with magic.” Callum pointed out.

Rayla pondered for a moment. “I read all about the history of the continent in the ancient library, and from what I found it never said humans didn’t have magic. Just that their natural gifts manifested differently than faeries, but were no less important.”

“What are you saying?” Claudia asked, growing more and more fascinated. What was Rayla trying to say? That humans could do magic long ago? What did she mean by their talents manifested in different ways?

“It’s hard to describe but...” she stopped midway and turned to Callum, pointing to his sketchbook. He gladly handed it to her.

Rayla wasn’t the best artist but whenever she needed to describe something and struggled to convey the image in her head into words, Callum allowed her to sketch it out on paper, even if it wasn’t flawless. Her skills improved somewhat, but she didn’t consider herself anywhere near as skilled as Callum.

She tried drawing out an illustration from a book that stayed with her ever since she was a young hatchling.

“Just like the mages from the books back in Katolis, humans worked alongside fairies and dragons to create potions and magical items for everyday use. Like mirrors that could communicate through long-distance, levitating crystals that made wagons fly, and these creatures called Golems. Humanoid artificial creations made from earth or wood to guards homes or sacred locations.” Rayla explained as she tried her best to sketch out the image from her childhood. It was engraved into her brain like carving on a stone tablet.

When Rayla was done she wasn’t too confident the image was very good, but the important thing was that it conveyed what she remembered. Claudia took the sketchbook in her hands and saw a rough, and though flawed, still recognizable drawing of a gleaming city with faeries and humans coming to and fro various shops and stores, with tiny mirrors in their hands, and wagons with crystals that allowed them to fly above while being pulled by Pegasi, Zym whinnied happily to recognize one of his ancestors on paper.

Some humans some were even riding on flying carpets with crystals seamlessly sowed onto the exotic designs. Mermaids sat in fountains, and unicorns strolled into town with their riders. The land was absolutely beautiful, with buildings that looked as if they were made of marble with plants sprouting around like a forest was interwoven into the architecture.

Even Soren was impressed by what he saw. Though he had a hard time wrapping his head around the idea of this once being how the world used to be. It was hard to imagine such a different time compared to now.

“Did it really used to be like that?” He asked.

“Humans may not have been able to make a flower blossom with a snap of a finger or create lightning on a whim, but they were clever, inventive. In a way, our two kinds represented the perfect balance for each other.” Rayla said.

Evie curled up around Claudia’s shoulder, hissing at the image when she spotted what looked like a snake sprite. She hung her head sadly, remembering her siblings. Seeing her so sad broke Claudia’s heart.

“I don’t get it.” Claudia said, “If it was so perfect, why did humans need dark magic to begin with?”

Rayla sighed sadly. “I’ve been asking that question for years and everyone gave me the same answer: That humans became greedy and wanted more. The human kingdoms were once plentiful with magic just like the rest of Xadia, but after the divide and with so many dark mages looking for sources to their power, the magic eventually... started dying out.”

“And the same could happen to Xadia if we don’t stop this war,” Callum concluded. It made sense, why the human kingdoms seemed so... dry in comparison to all the magical wonders that Xadia had to offer, but that world was in danger of being plucked by greedy people like Viren.

Claudia turned the pages of the sketchbook to look at the drawings Callum made of his friends, Claudia included. Each one was happier and livelier than the last. In a way, Callum’s ability to capture human emotion and moments in time with just a pencil was magic. It wasn’t grand or spectacular like making a mist wolf appear from its bones, but this simple talent used to bring joy and inspire courage to others as just as valuable as her knowledge of potion-making.

She remembered what Rayla told her once, “ _You say humans are nothing without magic, but I don’t think that’s true. Your mother made you and others happy with her cheerful attitude and love of flowers. She gave you beautiful memories to cherish forever. What could be more magical than that?_ ”

Claudia looked up at her friends and smiled. “You were right, Ray. There really is more to magic than we thought.” She closed the sketchbook and handed it back to Callum. “I think I finally get it.”

Soren shook his head. “Nope, still confused.”

Claudia rolled her eyes and pushed her brother back by pressing her hand on his face. Soren spits out the taste of dirt and bugs from his sister’s palm, sticking out his tongue in disgust. Everyone laughed at Soren’s comedic antics, even Nyx couldn’t help but snicker as she snuck a peek over her shoulder. Even as they laughed she could tell this group of friends was very close.

She started regretting choosing to sleep early. She could have been one of the first to see Blondie rolling in the dirt, whining like a baby. Just the idea brought a smile to her face. The knight looked annoyed but then got payback by tossing some dirt in his sister’s direction.

“Hey! Soren, you’re getting mud on my soup!”

“Good, it’ll go with the bugs you snuck in there. Yeah, I figured it out! Peppercorn doesn’t have tiny legs.”

Ezran spits out his soup and his face slowly turned green. Callum patted him on the back. “Okay, I think that’s our cue to go to sleep.” Ezran, still feeling nauseous, gave his brother a thumbs up.

“Yeah, we’ve got a long journey ahead of us,” Rayla said. They cleaned up their things, put out the fire, and got ready for bed. After a while everyone was sound asleep, except for Rayla who laid awake on the grass, looking up at the stars. Callum laid beside her. The couple looked up at the Draco constellation. He couldn’t sleep either, not with her tossing and turning so much.

Rayla turned her head and noticed Callum wide awake. “Sorry. Did I wake you?”

“Nah. I was just stargazing,” Callum said, trying to come off as flirty. Rayla unrolled her eyes. No matter how upset or distraught she was, Callum always managed to make her smile, or at the very least reassure her that she wasn’t alone, even if he didn’t say anything.

Seeing as they were both awake now, they figured they could pass the time by watching the stars twinkling above. No matter where they looked they always found one of the many stars that formed the constellation of the great dragon king, Draco.

“Is he really up there?” Callum asked with a hopeful longing as he looked up at the sky. “Can he see us?”

“I don’t have a lot of evidence to prove that he does, but I like to think so, and it’s what’s written in the ancient texts. As far as I know, they’re pretty accurate.”

“Earlier you mentioned something about an ancient library,” Callum said, becoming more invested

Rayla giggled. Of course, Callum would ask that question. “Yeah. The palace of Tir Na Nog is home to the largest library in the world.”

“How big are we talking?”

“Very big. Books as far as the eye could see. Walking through its halls is like stepping a whole other world where time has no limit. I would spend hours in there getting lost in the pages of the old texts passed down from my ancestors.”

“Oh, so Ms. Strong, independent dragon warrior princess was a book nerd.”

Rayla elbowed him in the ribs. “Watch it, I can still whoop your sorry feathered behind any day.”

Callum laughed which slowly died down as when a thought came to him. “Did those books happen to mention anything about the afterlife?”

Rayla’s spirits dropped. She knew why he was asking that question. Much to her relief, he would be more than satisfied with the answer. “Yeah, they did. I read somewhere that while Draco’s stars are the resting place of the dragons, they always open up a space for humans and faeries. They watch over the mortal world, seeing who deserves to rest in the heavens and who doesn’t.”

“Do you think our parents are up there?”

Rayla turned to the side, hand-folded behind her neck as she smiled at her boyfriend. Callum watched in awe at the way the stars danced in her eyes, matching the star symbol of the pendant she always wore around her neck.

“Yeah, I do. I can picture your mom smiling and saying how proud she is of her feathered-baby boy for having such a fast, strong, and daring girlfriend.”

Callum smiled at the thought then turned to the side to face Rayla. “And I can just picture your dad wanting to chop my head off seeing me with his precious princess.”

“No way, he’d love you to pieces.”

“I think you mean in pieces.” Callum joked, he blushed as Rayla laughed. He reached for Rayla’s hand, intertwining her fingers with his.

“He never meant for it to happen,” Rayla said.

“What do you mean?”

Rayla bit her bottom lip, her breath lunged in her throat. “The magma titan who’s heart Viren used to end the drought was a friend of my father’s. My dad was never one who believed in vengeful killing, but he felt justice was needed. My father was trying to kill someone but it wasn’t Queen Sarai.”

Callum sat upright in alert. “What?”

Rayla too sat up, afraid to look him in the eye at first but found the will to do so. She gulped. “Your mother jumped in and was caught in the blast... the blast which was meant for Viren.”

Callum couldn’t believe it. All this time, his mother’s death was nothing more than an accident? King Lain never meant to kill her, he was aiming for Viren, the one responsible for the death of his friend. Sarai wasn’t the victim of unfair justice, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“When my father came home I’ve never seen him so distraught. It was the first time he ever took the life of an innocent. I’m sorry, Callum.”

“He... He never wanted to kill her?” Callum’s voice cracked, tears already streaming down his cheeks. Rayla shook her head softly in reply. Callum sobbed and she held him close. Callum reached for the bag that contained the dragon heart and opened the box.

The heart glowed like a beam of moonlight, and the sound of its beating spoke to Callum in a wordless language only he could understand. He could feel the presence of the dragon king before him, weeping and mourning as Callum had been doing for years. One of his tears landed on the heart, and it’s beating went from sad to hopeful. Callum felt a wave of peace sweep around him like the arms of his mother.

“I forgive you.” Callum whispered, his hand hovering over the heart and repeated, “I forgive you, and I’m sorry for what my stepfather did to you. To your family... to your people. I promise we’re going to make things right. I swear by the old code. I swear.”

Rayla sobbed, feeling her father’s heartbeat. It sounded happy, peaceful. As Callum closed the box he felt as though a giant weight had been lifted off of his shoulders after so many years. He felt a sense of closure. The dragon king never meant to kill his mother, and he felt every bit as heartbroken over the loss as Callum did. Listening to the heart was like listening to his feelings. The dragon king still lived, and his heart needed to return home.

“Are you okay?” Rayla asked while wiping her tears with her sleeve.

Callum took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m going to be fine. And, I forgive you too.”

“Me? For what?”

“For... wanting to kill Harrow at first.”

Rayla pulled back, covering her mouth just as she gasped. “How did you...” she looked at the box. “Even in death, Dad is such a tattletale.”

Callum chuckled, “It’s okay,”

“No, it’s not. It’s true when I first arrived in Katolis my plan was to avenge my father. My mum didn’t think it was wise to attack impulse but I was just so...so angry! Humans took my father, my best friend. In spite of their mistakes my father still believed humans were capable of good, but after that, I wasn’t sure I believed it. My anger brought me to Katolis, but it was my fear of turning into a vengeful monster that stopped me from taking Harrow’s life. I spent days lost in the forests, wondering what I should do. Then I lost my memories and I met you and Ezran and Harrow and... I’m glad. I’m glad I lost my memories because it allowed me to realize that my father was right. Humans are worth fighting for, in spite of your mistakes.”

Callum took Rayla’s hands in his and leaned in for a kiss. “Rayla, I don’t blame you for feeling the way you did, but you were strong enough to know that taking a life was wrong, even before you lost your memories.” Calum cupped her face with his hands, gazing into her beautiful lilac eyes. “Maybe we can’t change the beginning of the story, but we can change how it ends. I love you, Rayla.”

Rayla sobbed as she held Callum’s hands in her own. “I love you too. You mean more to me than you will ever know.” She hugged him close and Callum rocked her back and forth, kissing the side of her head. It was such a relief for Rayla to get it off her chest. It still hurt and she wished things could have gone differently, but Callum was right. They couldn’t change the past, but they could learn from it. They both choose the path of peace over war, and with the return of the dragon king’s heart back to Xadia, they would seal this truth, and hopefully, it will be the first step into healing the scars of war.

What the couple didn’t realize was that they were being watched. Claudia heard the two wake up and though she kept still she heard their conversation. Evie slept soundly beside her and a tear trailed down from her right eye down her nose.

You can’t change the past... but Claudia really wished she could.

(~)

_It was a beautiful sunny morning. Well, it would be if not for the gray clouds looming overhead, but bits of the sun could still be seen. Claudia breathed it all in, in her arm was a woven basket of flowers and apples. The sweet smell of tulips, daisies, posey, and lilacs mixed with the juicy apples sent a wave of positive energy coursing through her body._

_She saw the snake sprites fluttering over a rose bush, their pollen dropping on the petal which blossomed before her eyes. Claudia approached her little friends._

_“Nice work, you guys,” Claudia said, reaching to pluck one of the roses until Branch started hissing and snapping his fangs at the mage. Claudia pulled back, almost having her finger bitten off._

_“Branch, what’s gotten into you?!” One by one, the other snake sprites started hissing at Claudia, protecting the roses which started to change from red to black before her eyes._

_“Ivy? Poppy, Aspen, what’s wrong?” Claudia gasped when Evie appeared, snatching the basket away from her, dropping her flowers which wilted and died once they hit the floor._

_“Evie? Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends.”_

_“ **You left ussss to die!** ” The snake sprites hissed in unison and, if Claudia didn’t know any better, she could have sworn that they had begun to grow in size, going from the size of cute little garden snakes to full-grown pythons that could squeeze a person’s skull right off._

_“What? No! No, I would never—“_

_“ **You betrayed ussss! You never cared for our kind. You only care about power.** ”_

_Claudia tried canceling out their voices by covering her ears. The scenery around her became distorted, blurry, and dissolved into an empty voice of darkness and purple mist spiraling around her._

_“NO! No, that wasn’t me!”_

_“ **Wasssn’t it?** ” Another voice spoke from behind Claudia, and a snake sprite shifted, transforming into a woman cloaked in black. When she removed her hood Claudia was appalled to see a mirror version of herself with eyes black as night, half of her hair pure white, and purple veins growing around her skin like vines._

_“ **Don’t be afraid, Claudia.** ” The copy said, her voice slithery like a snake, and not in a cute way like Evie._

_“Too late! I don’t want anything to do with you! Why can’t you just go away!”_

_“ **You know it’sss, not that easssy**.”_

_Claudia pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head in frustration. “Okay, would you quit it with the ‘ssss’ already. I get it, you’re a snake.”_

_“ **It’s your dream, kid.** ”_

_“Well, I want to wake up. Now!”_

_The copy shrugged nonchalantly, “ **Fine. Wake up, but you know I’ll still be here when you go back to sleep.** ”_

_That was the last thing Claudia wanted to hear. “Look, I’ve made my choice. Probably the first time I’ve ever thought for myself, and I’m not turning back. I’m through with dark magic and I’m through with you!”_

_“ **Don’t you get it? You’ve been using dark magic for so long it’s already a part of you. Once it’s inside you there no getting rid of it.** ”_

_Claudia shook her head. “No. I refuse to believe that.”_

_“ **Why do you think I’m here? You’re smart, Claudia. Deep down, you know I’m telling the truth.** ”_

_“I don’t care. If Rayla and Callum can choose a different path then so can I.”_

_“ **Do you need to choose? Who says you can’t still use what you know for good?** ”_

_“I can’t! Dark magic is evil.”_

_“ **Is it really?** ”_

_“Yes!” Claudia exclaimed, her impatience growing with every breath. “Dark magic killed Evie’s family, and it corrupted my father. It’s done nothing but bring misery and destroy what was once an amazing world. How can you expect me to still be a part of that?”_

_“ **Because you miss it.** ”_

_Claudia pulled away, clasping her hand over her heart. “I... no, I don’t.”_

_“ **You miss the surge of power you used to feel. You miss being able to bond with your father over which spells to use. And you can’t tell me you didn’t think it was tempting to one day have all the unlimited magic at your fingertips with enough training.** ”_

_Claudia tried to cancel out her words. There was no way they could be true. She experienced being affected by dark magic first hand and it was awful. It felt like a part of her was being ripped out of her. She couldn’t be a part of that. And yet, she couldn’t forget those moments of prideful accomplishment when she managed to get her first spell to work. Ignoring the unsettling feeling that came afterward that numbed with time, but it was still there._

_No, Claudia didn’t want to believe there was a part of her that could ever miss such an abomination of magic._

_“ **Is it really your choice? Or are you just going along with somebody else like you always have? You know in your heart you were born to do magic, not just cute drawings and write sonnets. You can have unlimited power and you can choose what to do with it. You can have your family back. Your father... maybe even your mother. You can make a real difference. Just accept it, Claudia. Accept who you are.** ”_

_“I can’t do that! Don’t you get it, I don’t want to be you!”_

_“ **You can’t get rid of me that’s easy!** ” The copy’s body shifted into a snake again and opened her jaws wide to swallow Claudia whole._

...........

Claudia woke up with a gasp, eyes wide with bangs under her eyes. She was gasping so hard it looked as though she had been suffocating. Her skin was unusually pale and there were visible dark bangs under her eyes.

“Claudia, are you okay?” Soren held her close, checking her fever by placing a palm behind her forehead. “What happened?”

Claudia looked around and was relieved to hear the sound of Ezran laughing as he chased Zym around. The alicorn galloping happily, his tail swishing back and forth and his spiky mane billowing behind him as he went.

Nyx and Callum were already awake, cleaning up camp while also preparing some berries and fruit for breakfast. While working Nyx was exercising her wings, which we're feeling a little better. The healing cream Claudia spread on her burns should help her get back to normal. It wasn’t as instant like a dark magic spell, but it still worked and that’s what mattered.

At least, that was what Claudia told herself. She looked back at her concerned older brother. “Yeah, I’m okay,” she said, breathing in and out. “Had a bit of a rough night.”

“I know what’ll perk you right up,” Soren said in a suspiciously perky tone. He poured her a cup of a familiar hot beverage. “Hot brown morning potion, piping hot.”

Claudia took the cup and chunk down the liquid in one gulp. Instantly, any ounce of sleep left her and she was up and about as if nothing happened, though she still had the noticeable bangs under her eyes. 

“Whoa! You were right, that really did perk me up. Okay, what’s on the menu today?”

“We found some moon berries.” Nyx said, offering the mage a lief with sweet-smelling red berries, “These should keep us full. For a day.”

Just then, Rayla swooped in on her wings spinning like a leaf spiraling inside a whirlwind. She zoomed over the campsite and through the trees with great speed and agility before landing feet first with a graceful bow. Everybody clapped.

“Show off,” Nyx said with a scoff.

“Sorry, but at least your wings are still attached. I forgot I even had mine for six months.”

“Fair point.”

“How are you holding up?” Rayla asked as she tossed the fish to Soren. Claudia immediately felt sick at the sight of them.

“Getting there.” Nyx replied, then turned to Claudia, “Got to hand it to you, Midnight, that remedy of yours isn’t half bad.”

The compliment warmed up Claudia’s insides, more so than the hot brown morning potion. “Take that, snake me.” She whispered to herself while clenching her fist in victory.

“What was that?” Soren asked.

“Nothing, I didn’t say anything. Who told you what?”

Soren blinked and just said nothing else while stepping aside. He cooked the fish, which Ezran and Claudia politely declined.

“Fill up those belies folks. Once we hit the trail we will be officially outside of Katolis’s borders.” The realization of what he just said struck Soren like a bolt of lightning. “Which means it’ll be nothing but dirt, and caves, and mud, and dirt until we reach the magical faerie land.”

“For a knight, you’re not much of an outdoorsman, are you?” Nyx said, flopping one of the berries into her mouth.

“Camping’s never been Soren’s strong suit.” Callum said, then whispered, “Although, I think it’s because he’s scared of bugs.”

“I’m not scared of bugs!” Soren exclaimed, blushing in embarrassment.

“Aww, don’t worry, Blondie. If you get spooked I’ll happily devour any ghastly caterpillar that crawls your way.” Nyx said, wriggling her fingers at Soren, the act resembled a spider’s many legs and Soren shuddered. Caterpillars were so fuzzy with multiple legs. It was gross.

“Not funny, Nyx.”

“And while we’re out there we can squeeze in some flying lessons.” Rayla suggested, smiling as Callum threw his arms into the air and releases a rousing, “ _Woohoo!_ ”   


“Just don’t go jumping off of any more cliffs, okay,” Ezran said after swallowing more berries. The others laughed minus Claudia, who stared blankly at the berries in front of her. The aftermath of her dream was still fresh in her mind’s eye. her eyes lid felt heavy as sleep was creeping up on her again. She reached for the pouch of her hot morning potion, but her distorted vision made her accidentally give Evie’s tail a firm squeeze.

Evie hissed and Claudia pulled back, eyes wide in horror. Unlike in her dream, Evie didn’t stay angry but hissed in apology, rubbing her head against Claudia’s finger.

“Clauds? Are you okay?” Rayla asked while tucking a wild strand of hair behind her friend’s ear. The mage wasn’t looking so good, she looked as if she hadn’t slept a wink all night.

Claudia shook her head, pulling her hair back with her fingers. “I’m okay. I’m alright.” She lied as she got up and dusted her clothes. Evie flew up and curled around her shoulder, rubbing her scaly head against the mage’s cheek.

“You sure?” Rayla asked.

“Yeah, I’m just...I’m not all that hungry.” Claudia handed the dragon princess her plate of berries and picked her bag from the ground. “We should probably get going. That dragon isn’t going to deliver itself to Xadia.”

Claudia tried feigning her exhaustion and worries behind a mask of sunny optimism, but Rayla could tell something was off with Claudia. Once everyone else finished eating, Soren rallied everyone together and marched onwards.

(~)

Amaya grew up in Katolis. It was her home, one which she protected with her life. Now, thanks to Viren, she and Gren have become fugitives. Traitors to the kingdom, to her own family. In another life, she would blame the dragon accompanying them, but she was every bit a victim of circumstance as they were. Not to mention, she was Rayla’s aunt. Whether Amaya liked it or not, this dragon, Siveth, meant a lot to someone she cared about and she gave Rayla her word that she would break her free.

She succeeded in keeping that promise, now they had to work together to aid their children. She may be a dragon, but she was an aunt, a sister mourning the death of a sibling. For Amaya, it was almost like looking into a mirror. If that mirror gave her reflection scales and horns, that is.

Currently, Siveth remained in her human form. A stunningly beautiful human woman with light skin, green eyes, and ebony hair. With her cloak, she almost looked like a dark sorceress from a storybook. Amaya still didn’t feel comfortable being around her, but then she would remind herself that she had lost her wings. Every now and again she would notice Siveth wince in pain whenever her back brushed up against something or when she walked for long periods of time. She had a part of her torn away. Details like these made it difficult for Amaya to not feel guilty over the resentment she still held towards her kind.

The trio managed to successfully evade any curious bystanders, their cloaks hiding their faces. Gren kept his eyes peeled as he walked beside her, alert for any suspicious noise. Pip, ever so loyal, stayed perched on Amaya’s shoulder, alerting her with a flick of his wing or a tap of his beak against her cheek. Callum trained this bird well. She smiled proudly. She prayed to her sister’s spirit to keep their boys safe from harm.

Siveth wasn’t familiar with the path they were taking. The sky grew gray and tiny droplets of rain drizzled from above, seeping into their cloaks. The humans arrived at a place that was secluded near a mountain. A line of stairs led to what Siveth could only describe as being a graveyard of fallen heroes. The area was littered with statues of knights, some of which have been dead for centuries. Beneath the statues were the tombs of the fallen.

Siveth hissed under her breath to see that some of these so-called heroes were holding the severed heads of dragons and faeries as their trophies. The proud looks on their petrified faces made her want to leave her claw marks all over them. She could too, dragon claws could carve through the stone.

Why did they bring her here? Was this some kind of sick joke? Was this a warning that if she went out of line they would do this to her? She might not have her wings, but she could still change into her full dragon form. She could easily bit their limps off and leave them for dead.

Humans were still under the delusion that dragons ate them. The very idea made her want to spit in their direction. Dragons have only ever chewed in self-defense, not once did they swallow. Besides, even if they did Siveth had long since given up on meat. She preferred forest fruits, nuts, berries, and oats. She wasn’t a barbarian.

Before she could ask why they had the audacity to bring them here the human woman stopped in front of a statue. Unlike the others, this was the only statue that didn’t personally offend or disgust Siveth. The statue was that of a beautiful woman wearing a crown and riding her horse. Her hand stretched out as though offering someone to ride alongside her. Her face was gentle and kind, even Siveth was half tempted to take the woman’s assistance.

Beside the tomb were candles, long since snuffed except for one. Amaya lit one candle and kneeled before the statue. The bird on her shoulder flew off to rest on her interpreter’s shoulder.

Siveth noticed the resemblance between Amaya and the statue. Of course. This was the queen. Her sister. Siveth didn’t know how to feel. This woman had lost someone dear to her, and yet her people have done unspeakable things to all of the fae kind. Stealing their life-force for their dark magic, skinning them alive and placing their remains on a wall like trophies to admire. And in spite of all of that, she was feeling... sympathy for this human and her loss.

Well, this never would have happened if they hadn’t started this war in the first place. They created dark magic, they choose to destroy part of the continent, leaving the magical sources of the natural world to die out thanks to their greed. They were the ones who killed Siveth’s people, what did they expect? Did they expect the faes to sit idly by and do nothing? This was on them. If they hadn’t attacked first the dragon king, and maybe their queen, would still be alive.

Siveth looked up at the statue of the fallen queen. _She didn’t deserve to die_ , she thought. _She wasn’t supposed to._

Siveth grabbed an unlit candle. Amaya looked up at the dragon. “May I?” Siveth asked, her eyes shimmering with hope. Amaya breathed in, letting her anger slide away and nodded at the dragon, gifting her a small smile. Siveth blew a puff of fire at the candle and a tiny blue flame flickered. She placed it a few feet apart from Amaya’s and kneeled before the statue.

For the first time in ages, a dragon and a knight grieved side by side.

(~)

The team walked for hours with only a few stops in between. They followed an old and worn out road, long since abandoned with grass and weeds sprouting along the pathway which was almost completely gone. Decades ago, this path was once used by merchants to traverse across Katolis to various other kingdoms, but when new roads and pathways were made, safer ones, this one was completely abandoned, almost forgotten. Stepping onto it was like stepping into a glimpse of the past.

The road leads up a hill, which was wide enough for all of them to climb without fear of a rock slide. Soren was the first to stop, taken in by the view. Bellow, they could see almost every inch of Katolis. The town with streams of smoke rising upwards from chimneys, and the streams and woods surrounding the border, and lastly the castle which was so far Ezran could balance it on the tip of his thumb.

“Whoa. I can’t believe how far we are now.” The young prince said. He rode on Zym through most of the journey, the little alicorn taking an instant liking to the young prince. Bait rode behind him, enjoying the luxury of hitching a ride on a larger animal rather than use his stubby little legs for most of the journey.

“And we’re so high up. I can see everything.” Callum said as the wind picked up. He felt the sensation beneath his wings which he partly opened. His heart swelled with giddiness seeing the fathers ruffling in the breeze. A natural desire to allow himself to be carried by the wind was as tempting as snatching the last cookie from the jar without anyone looking.

Callum began to wonder what it would feel like to see Katolis from a bird’s perspective. Maybe he could when they finished their mission. He could already imagine the look on his stepfather’s face. In all this time Callum didn’t worry too much about what his father would say once he learned of his true parentage. He would accept his stepson regardless if he had wings or no, after all this was the same man who welcomed a village boy with open arms years ago.

“How much longer until we reach the border to Xadia?” Ezran asked.

“On wings, it would probably take us at least three days to get from Xadia to Katolis.” Rayla said, “On foot, on the other hand, a few more days... maybe a week.”

“Any chance your full dragon powers are back?” Callum asked hopefully. Rayla tried breathed fire again, and while she managed to release a small puff of fire, it still wasn’t enough for her to change into her full dragon form.

Rayla coughed, dark smoke spewing out of her mouth. “Nope. Not yet.” She said in a raspy voice while shaking her head and pounding her chest. “But I’m getting there. I’ve only been stuck in human form for six months.”

“And my wings are still recuperating. Looks like we’re still walking.” Nyx said. The rest of the group groaned as they continued on their way. Callum and Ezran took one last look at their kingdom and followed the others.

“Come on guys, it’s not so bad,” Ezran said, ruffling Zym’s mane. “We’re having our first big adventure outside of Katolis, just like we always talked about.”

“This isn’t a game, Ezran.” Soren said, “That giant fish and those hunters were only the tips of the iceberg. Things are only going to get harder from here on out.”

“I hate to say it, but Soren’s right,” Callum said.

“Relax, Sore-Bear,” Claudia sprung ahead of her brother and started walking backward while talking to everyone. “If we can handle a basilisk, a few hunters and a giant _fi—!_ ” Claudia covered her mouth and swallowed hard before clearing her throat. “Then we can totally handle whatever this crazy forest throws at us. Look at us; we’ve got a knight, a half-faerie, an alicorn, a witty crown-prince, and not one but two dragons. Plus a humble, yet drop-dead gorgeous, non-dark mage and her adorable snake sprite assistant.” Claudia boastfully flipped her hair while Evie held her head up high.   


Bait croaked, feeling insulted that she forgot to mention him. “Oh, and a very clever, and equally handsome, glow toad,” Claudia added. Bait croaked in satisfaction, wagging his tail with his slobbery tongue draped over the side of his lower lip.

Claudia threw her first into the air, “So what’ ya say we drop the angsty teen drama novel gist and tackle this hero’s journey head-on!” And so long as she was distracted on the quest instead of her nightmares, all the better.

“That’s the spirit!” Ezran said enthusiastically.

“Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!” Claudia poured herself another cup of hot brown morning potion and drank it in one gulp.

“Isn’t that your twelfth cup today?” Rayla said with concern.

“Is it?—Maybe—who knows—I don’t—enough talk—onward to Xadia! _Woohoo!_ Adventure!” Claudia threw her arms in the air with a high pitch speedy voice and one eye twitching. She could feel the full effect of the morning potion really kicking in. She quickly out her pouch away and kept on moving before Rayla could ask any more questions.

(~)

Siveth lost track of time as the deaf human woman grieved her sister. Dragon culture had a deep respect for the departed, and speaking before the grieving process was done was seen as impudent. Siveth too she’s a tear or two, both for the queen and for her brother.

When Amaya wipes her tears and gathered her things Siveth felt free to speak. She tapped Amaya’s shoulder and the human woman turned to look at her. “I remember your sister,” Siveth said while signing. “She was brave and true.”

‘ _Then why did he kill her?_ ’ Amaya asked, her puffy red eyes narrowing at the dragon disguised as a human woman.

“She wasn’t supposed to die,” Siveth replied while signing back. “It was the dark mage who killed our dear old friend, Sol Rogen, the Magma King.”

Amaya’s eyes widened. A king? The magma titan whose heart they used to save their kingdom was a king? And a friend of the dragon king? No wonder the dragons were so upset.

“My father blamed no one else but the dark mage. When he had him in his clutches that was when your sister jumped in. She was caught in the blast to save the dark one. My brother was too late to stop it. For many moons, he grieved. Killing an innocent life is a great offense for the Tuatha De Dannan.“

Amaya remembered that day well. She remembered Amaya running on horseback, her long braid whipping behind her, sword up as she rushed for Viren. The dragon’s fire came raining down, striking the ground beneath them when Sarai pulled Viren out of the ground and onto her horse. The blast sent a shockwave that threw them into the air. Sarai’s spine cracked against a boulder and Viren was spared, rolling on the ground with a grunt.

Amaya remembered seeing the dragon king hovering over them, watching, waiting until Sarai drew her last breath. The last thing Amaya remembered was seeing the dragon king roar so loud it shook the heavens and he flew off with the rest of his hoard. All this time Amaya perceived his roar as a cry of victory when in reality it was a cry of grief and regret. A dragon grieved for the queen he never intended to kill. She was never his target, but the one who really did kill his friend.

Viren.

It was all Viren’s fault.

Using the magma titan’s heart was his idea. Sarai’s death was his fault. His dark magic has brought nothing but misery and short-lived privileges. Amaya’s fingers curled inward forming into tight fists, her nails piercing her skin almost drawing blood. She looked back at Siveth, her eyes returning to violet, and bits of her scales sprinkled across her cheekbones. Amaya felt a jolt when Gren touched her shoulder. He always could tell when she needed someone near.

Amaya signed to Siveth, ‘ _I know this doesn’t make up for it but I’m sorry for what Viren did to your friend, and for what my brother-in-law did to your brother._ ’

“I’m sorry too,” Siveth replied, signing as she did, “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you and refused to help.”

‘ _If I were in your place I would be hesitant to help the murderer of my sibling too. He grieved for his mistake as well. I remember Harrow hating himself for acting on his dark impulses.’_

Siveth could tell Amaya was being sincere, but as of now, she didn’t have the heart, nor the energy, to forgive the king. The queen and Amaya could forgive, but until she heard the apology from the king himself she would never know peace.

“If anyone is to be held accountable for his dark impulses it’s the dark one, himself.” Siveth signed, her pupils becoming slits and more of her scales appeared across her skin.

Amaya nodded in agreement. ‘ _Then we must keep moving. We need to reach the kids before Viren does_.’

Siveth nodded in agreement. Perhaps her brother was right and humans could be redeemed.

(~)

  
  


  
  


  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than the others because the previous draft was waaaaaay longer, so I cut it in half.  
> Sadly, this will be the last we hear of Amaya, Siveth, Gren and Viren for a while. But not to worry, I will make up for it with a chapter dedicated to the two groups while we focus on our main heroes for the next couple of chapters. 
> 
> Oh, and I posted Flame and Sword: An Arthurian Retelling here on Archive, Wattpad and FictionPress. As the title says, it’s a retelling of the King Arthur legend incorporating some of the more obscure elements of the myth, including Geoffrey of Monmouth’ ‘Vita Merlini’ which includes one of the earliest depictions of the Morgan Le Fay character as a benevolent enchantress queen from the island of Avalon, alongside her eight sisters, who tended to Arthur’s wounds. This was before she was revamped as his half-sister and a traitor. Which never made a lot of sense to me since she still took Arthur to Avalon to be healed, and her last name Le Fay literally translates to ‘The Fairy’, which wasn’t the last name of Arthur’s mother Ingrain, who was supposedly Morgan’s mother in the myth. 
> 
> I suspect, based on my research, Morgan eventually merged with Morguase, one of Arthur’s original half sisters, and was confused as the mother of Mordred (who as Arthur’s nephew or possible romantic rival for Guinevere depending on the version). Short summary: Arthurian legend has been revamped and retold loads of times that when you get down to it there really is no such thing as a 100% authentic King Arthur story. How many of you have heard of Annowre, the evil enchantress who tried to seduce Arthur? Or that Lancelot was the adopted son of the lady of the lake? Or the Green Knight? Or that one time Arthur fell in love with the fairy queen in that poem The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spencer? Okay, that probably doesn’t technically count as part of the official mythos, but I think you get my point. 
> 
> So, in my version Morgan and Arthur are NOT related, and are instead friends who could potentially grow into something more (wink, wink). Oh, and Morgan is a shapeshifting dragon princess of the Tuatha de Dannan and Arthur is a sweetie pie who loves to paint and ride horses, also Excalibur is Morgan’s sword and she disguises herself as Lancelot while in Camelot... did I forget to mention Arthur had a third sister named Anna? No, I am not making that up.
> 
> If your interest is peaked please give the story a look and share your thoughts. Until next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	19. Chapter 19

It was a very uneventful day of traveling for the group. Soren saw this as a blessing. Finally, a day where they didn’t have to deal with hunters or a possible monster attack. Sure, they hadn’t run into any yet, but seeing as they were, in a sense, walking straight towards the magical land where dragons and all sorts of magical beasts lived, it was only a matter of time before they stumbled upon a loose one out in the woods. They had already dealt with a basilisk once before.

Normally, Soren would boast about being able to fight a monster single-handedly to protect everyone, but so far all he’d managed to do was fall, scream, and almost drown and or fall off a cliff while everyone else got to be the hero. Even the step-prince Callum grew a shiny new set of wings that he couldn’t stop raving about.

Soren, admittedly, felt a little disgusted at his jealousy. The important thing was that everyone was safe and well, that was what really mattered, not whether or not he got the glory. A knight is sworn to valor, not their own pride.

So, why did he still feel lousy? Ever since they left Katolis Soren found it extremely difficult to be optimistic. Everyone else found some reason to smile or laugh, even Nyx. But Soren couldn’t shake off this nagging feeling in his stomach. He swore an oath to King Harrow, an oath he hadn’t told either Ezran or Callum about, not even Claudia. What difference would it make anyway? Protecting the royal family was always his job, just like his father always told him.

His father who betrayed said family behind Soren’s back and expected him to go along with it...

Soren always wanted his father to be proud of him and for a long time, he truly believed he was. Even if Viren was hard on him at times, Soren thought it was only to make him better. Tough love, and all that. But now, he wasn’t so sure.

This was the question that kept nagging at him but he was too afraid to confront: was Soren really following the Old Code or his father’s code? And if it was the latter then... was he even a knight?

Soren tucked that question away, distracting himself with the sounds of nature. When they weren’t running for their lives the forest wasn’t all that bad to look at; the air was cool and serene, the trees offered the perfect amount of shade, and the ground was soft beneath his feet, which made walking a whole lot less tiresome.

After a while, the group decided to rest up for a bit to take in the scenery. They had already covered a lot of ground that day so they figured a short break wouldn’t kill them. Rayla and Callum took advantage of this time to practice flying while Ezran sat near a tree and wrote away on his journal. A little further from him, Rayla and Callum faced one another and the half-sylph stretched his wings and arms.

Ezran sat near a tree and wrote away on his journal while Rayla and Callum faced one another. The half-sylph stretched his wings and arms.

“Okay, Callum. Today is your first lesson in flight.” Rayla said, rubbing her hands together.

“I’m ready,” Callum stated with great confidence while rotating his shoulder.

“Sylphs learn how to fly in the same way birds do,” Rayla instructed. Callum’s eyes widened.

“Does this mean I’m going to have to jump off another cliff?”

“ _Don't even think about it!!_ ” Soren shouted from afar.

Rayla shook her head, “Relax, no jumping off of high cliffs today. Or, ever. When you flew down to save Corvus you relied on instinct, which is good, but you can’t always rely on someone’s life being in mortal peril as a tigger response. First, flap your wings three times and jump on the third flap.” Rayla demonstrated first and Callum still found himself in awe at the sight of her wings. So powerful, so strong, yet so elegant and almost ethereal with their tiny diamond-like scales that resembled stars.

After she landed, Callum tried to mimic her performance as he flapped his wings three times and then jumped on the third. For a moment he almost felt airborne before cementing his feet on the ground again.

“Good. Try again, but this time flap three more times after your feet leave the ground.”

Callum nodded and did as she said. He flapped three times as quickly as he could, puffing out in and out of his lungs but this immediately caused him to lose altitude and fall. Rayla pulled him back up.

“Not bad, but you got a little anxious there. You need to relax. Trust the wind to carry you aloft. Watch me.” Rayla demonstrated with the same technique. Flapping three times, then three more once she was airborne. Callum took notice of the soft and relaxed way her wings flapped, lifting her higher and higher with every wing beat. She softened her flapping and landed gracefully on her feet.

“Wow. You make it look so easy. And graceful.”

“You're not the only one who was forced to take dance lessons.” Rayla joked, ”Give it another go.”

Callum took a deep breath and repeated the process again of flapping three times, jumping on the third count, then flapped three more times. This time, Callum did his best to relax and trust the wind. He remembered all of those times where he would be able to feel when and where the wind would blow next, so he applied that same method with flying. Before he knew it, Callum was getting higher and higher with every flap

“Whoa, whoa!” Callum laughed with childish glee, his feet hovering above the ground. Soren watched while biting his nails, the kid was getting so high he was afraid he would drop. Nyx pulled on his shoulder, telling him to calm down.

Ezran looked up, closed his book, and cheered for his brother. “Callum, you’re doing it! You’re flying!”

“I’m flying. I’m really flying!” Callum cheered, though he noticed he was getting a little too high and that everyone else was getting smaller and smaller. “Uh, Rayla, how do I get down?”

Rayla flew up towards him, “Just relax, flap your wings slowly.”

Callum did just that, but then his body felt heavier and he started plummeting to the ground. Soren screamed like a little girl as he watched the prince fall while Claudia was already hyperventilating.

Like a guardian angel, Rayla swooped in and caught Callum, picking him up bridal style as she landed safely on the ground. “I get that you fell for me, but this is pushing it.” Rayla teased, and Callum laughed while blushing.

Both Soren and Claudia released a simultaneous sigh of relief then Claudia gave the couple a thumbs up while Soren pulled his hair back.

Nyx approached Callum once Rayla let him go and gave him a light punch in the arm. “Not bad, kid. Who knows, maybe by next week you’ll be flying circles around me.”

“Wow, that’s the first nice thing you’ve said to me,” Callum said while rubbing the spot she just punched. “Hey, and maybe you can teach me some of your wind-breath spells.”

“Baby steps, Sparky. Baby steps.” Nyx ruffled his hair and allowed the two to continue their practice as she sat near a rock, curiously poking at the items the humans carried in their bags. She saw forks, butter knives, tissues, plates, pans, bowls. They looked so plain and primitive compared to the things they had in Xadia. She noticed Soren eyeing the couple like a hawk, and she would know.

“Would you relax, the kid’s in good hands.”

Soren sighed. “You don’t have to tell me twice.” He decided to lean back for a little bit and watch the two practice. No matter how many times the step-prince fell or flapped around like a distorted moth, he never stopped smiling. He and Rayla laughed and helped each other back up.

The scene took Soren back to when Callum was close to Ezran’s age. It was about a year after Queen Sarai was killed and Callum was struggling greatly with the loss. Soren and Claudia easily empathized with the prince and did all they could to cheer him up. One lazy summer afternoon, Soren and Callum were playing ‘dragons and knights’ with Claudia, who was the dragon. She wore a paper-mache dragon head while Callum and Soren fought her off with their toy swords. Claudia made a very convincing dragon, using the flute made from the bone of a Pegasus in order to create a gust of wind while pretending it was fire since Viren wouldn’t allow her to use fire spells until she was older.

Callum was a lot less coordinated back then than he was now, so he had a habit of tripping a lot to the point that he was worried he had ruined the fun for everyone. Back then, Soren didn’t make fun of him for his clumsiness, he always offered him his hand and pulled him back, generously offering some tips and sometimes even deliberately falling himself to give Callum the winning strike and ‘stab’ the dragon who fell and died in an overly dramatic fashion that took a lot longer than needed. Nobody could say that Claudia wasn’t dedicated.

Watching Callum now was like seeing that sweet little boy again. The little boy Soren used to be best friends with before... he grew up. That was what Soren always told himself. He was a knight and Callum was a prince. A prince who wasn’t born of noble blood and yet, unlike Soren, never had to work for anything and who’s father showered him with love and affection. Even though their relationship was still a bit awkward, it was clear that they loved each other regardless of status or talent. Something Soren rarely felt with his father, who was very difficult to please.

He couldn’t understand what Callum had to complain about. He had it easy. And yet, Soren couldn’t forget how miserable and lost the young prince looked as he wandered around the hallways like a ghost and the three of them spent less and less time together. That changed, of course, once Rayla came into the picture and, honestly, it was nice seeing his old friend smiling again. It reminded Soren of simpler times, times when the three of them were inseparable.

Nyx noticed the young knight’s longing look, his blue eyes far away, swallowed in the midst of his own thoughts. Amazing, she didn’t think he was capable of thinking so deeply.

“Drachma for your thoughts?”

Soren looked at her. “What?”

“Xadian currency. I believe your human version is; Penny for your thoughts.”

“Oh. Sorry. I don’t know if you noticed but I’m not much of a Xadian expert.”

“Now that you mention it... no, I'm pretty sure everybody and their pet glow toad noticed.” Soren snorted at her comment. It was, kind of funny. The two returned their attention to the couple and Soren watched anxiously as Callum flapped his wings and attempted to do a flip. This time, he didn’t fall flat on the ground but he did lose momentum and crashed into a tree. Soren and Nyx winced at the sound of the collision and Rayla rushed to help him.

“Kid’s a lot tougher than he looks,” Nyx said while Rayla helped Callum out of the tree. The prince came out with a bird’s nest in his hair.

“You wouldn’t say that if you saw him holding a sword. More like the Miss-Step prince, am I right?” Soren laughed at his own joke but Nyx merely stared at him with an expression that read as though she stabbed her toe with a sharp needle. “Because he trips and falls a lot when he picks up a sword.”

“Oh no, the joke was clear. I just didn’t realize making fun of royals was a requirement for knights these days.”

“No, it’s just a...” Soren wasn’t sure what word to use to describe the origin of that nickname. A nickname Callum never even liked. “Just a little inside joke between us.”

“Right.” Nyx wasn’t buying it. The blond knight wasn’t that hard to figure out.

Soren quickly tried to change the subject, “So, uh, where did you learn all those fighting moves?”

Now this question Nyx was happy to answer. She pulled out her staff, using the sharp tip to pick dirt from under her claws. “When you’re out on the road a lot you tend to pick up more than just precious jewels. Also, Rhiannon taught me. I was...” Nyx blushed at the memory of all the times the princess wiped the floor with her. ”I was pretty bad.”

“Yeah, I remember my first day of knight school. Well, it wasn’t exactly a school just training with the knights in the courtyard. But yeah, I came home limping like a three-legged dog.” Soren could still feel the bruises from those hits. They weren’t too aggressive, they were training him after all, not torturing the poor boy. He was around Callum’s age when he officially became a knight-in-training. Those were also the days in which his friendship with Callum began to slowly dwindle.

Nyx’s laughter snapped him out of his small trip down memory lane before he could reach the really deep parts of his past. Soren didn’t like to dwell too much on it, but lately being around the princes these last few days, and almost losing one of them to hunters, it was difficult not to think about how things used to be.

“So before you met Ray—I mean, Rhiannon—did you have any other friends?” Soren asked. He could have asked anything else but instead, his brain chooses this particular question instead.

“What is this, an interview?” Nyx joked.

“No, I’m just making conversation.”

“You’re really bored, aren’t you?”

“Come on, you’re this slish, slashing, dragon warrior and former con-artist,” Soren waved his arms around like swords, making him look so silly Nyx sucked in her lips to keep from laughing. “You gotta have some stories.”

“Trust me, I am no warrior.”

“But you were part of the assassination against the king. As bad as that is, I assumed it meant you were a high ranking soldier or something.”

Nyx scoffed as she folded her arms over her chest, not looking at Soren directly. “Not even close. I was more of an extra tagalong than anything. Siveth didn’t even want me there.” Nyx confessed. “She didn’t really think I would be useful.”

“Why? Because you don’t have your dragon’s breath?” Soren said, already wanting to punch someone for it. Just because Nyx was disabled, in a way, didn’t mean she was helpless. General Amaya taught Soren that much.

“No. Well, not entirely. I was always a lot better at running away from problems than I was facing them.”

“Really?” Soren found that very hard to believe. Not once did he see her run away from trouble.

“Siveth wasn’t hard on me because of my lack of lighting. For all of her faults, she’s not guilty of _that_ at least. But I guess after we lost the princess, or thought we did, she got... gloomier and harsher on everyone. She was never too fond of me because of my... slight lack of impulse control.” Nyx grimaced, “You have any idea how hard it is to be in a shiny palace and not want to touch stuff?”   


Soren’s eyes darted left and right. He didn’t have an answer for that. “Uh...”

Nyx shook her head with a rough laugh, her bangs bouncing on her forehead. “When I heard of the plan to assassinate the king I thought that was my chance to avenge my friend. Siveth didn’t think I had it in me to finish the job and, to be perfectly honest, she was right.” Nyx slouched where she sat. “Dragon’s breath or no, I didn’t have the backbone to finish the job. Humans are supposed to be our enemies, but when the time came... I didn’t have the guts.”

Soren felt a little guilty over asking this. “But, if you had killed Harrow, then none of them would even be here right now.” Soren pointed out. He remembered that rainy night when she spared his life. He saw mercy and humanity in her eyes. Soren wondered if he hadn’t seen that shred of light in her eyes, would he have killed her either way? He really didn’t want to think of the possibility.

Nyx shrugged, “I guess.”

“Plus, you were really brave with the fish and those hunters, and you faced that Siveth lady head-on.”

“You weren’t there.”

“No, but Ezran got me up to speed,” Soren said. “I get that maybe you weren’t the best warrior back then but, know what? Even I had to learn. From what I’ve seen, you’re actually really awesome.”

Nyx felt warm in her stomach. Before, Rhiannon used to be the only one who believed she could be more than a common thief, but she was already convinced the princess was the only person who believed that. Now, this blond bimbo was saying she was awesome and pointing out her accomplishments. Things she didn’t think too much about when actually doing them.

“Plus, I’m sure Rhiannon’s really glad you didn’t... you know,” Soren slid his finger across his throat, added with a very gruesome slashing sound from his mouth and tilted his head, sticking out his tongue with dead eyes. Nyx sucked in her lips again, trying to fight the urge to giggle.

“Yeah, I know. She always did have a soft spot for you Meat Sacks. Though, I think now I can see why.”

“Wait, was that a compliment I just heard?” Soren said, his smile changing into a cheeky grin while pointing at Nyx, as though he were saying ‘got ya!’

Nyx slapped his shoulder with her tail, knocking him on the ground. “Don’t get used to it. I don’t hand them out to just anyone.” Nyx laughed and, to her surprise, so did Soren. Claudia looked up and saw the way her brother and the SkyWing were getting along. She felt a warm wave of relief in her chest. Things were going smoothly. Everyone was getting along and everyone was safe.

The words from her book, which was her mother's botany journal, became blurry. She yawned a couple more times before finally succumbing to the sleep that tried desperately all morning to claim her.

.............

_At first, all Claudia could see was darkness. All was calm. But the calm didn’t last long. Claudia found herself walking in a dark empty room with only an unknown source of light illuminating where she stood. Another spotlight appeared and she saw her cloaked copy again._

_“Oh, no.”_

_Claudia ran as fast as her legs could take her in the other direction. She didn’t know where she was going but she didn’t care. All that mattered was getting away from that lunatic as fast as possible. But no matter where she ran, straight, zig-zags, back and forth, she saw the dark mage in her path every single time._

_Finally, her legs could go no further. She stopped, falling to her knees, out of breath. It was difficult to breathe, even more so when her dark self grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up._

_“ **You can’t run from your destiny, Claudia.** ” The dark copy snapped her fingers and, before them, appeared Rayla, Callum, and Nyx, all three with their heads hung, their skin color pale and saturated, and their wings were covered in bloody cuts, as were their arms, legs, and torsos._

_Claudia tried to shout but the dark mage’s grip was too tight she could barely form a syllable. The bloody Rayla looked up, her eyes were filled with black tar that dripped down her cheeks as her skin melted away, reducing her to dust. The same dust swirled around the dark Claudia, infusing her with power. Her hair flared up like fire, her eyes glowing purple as the energy of the dragon, combined with that of the SkyWing and half-sylph merged together. Her body grew in size and Claudia was now trapped in her clawed hands, which were covered in scales._

_The dark Claudia transformed into a monstrous half human-half dragon abomination, unlike Rayla who looked more human with dragon attributes, this woman had the body of a dragon and the face of a human. It was pure nightmare fuel._

_“Accept it, Claudia. Give into the power!”_

_.........._

“NO!” Claudia woke up with a start, screaming and kicking.

“Claudia! Claudia, it’s me! It’s just me.” Soren calmed his sister down by grabbing her shoulders. Once she realized she was back, in reality, Claudia was able to finally breathe. She could still feel her dark self restraining her throat, the pressure cutting off the oxygen into her mouth.

She looked up and saw Rayla, Callum, and Nyx alive and well. “Guys, you’re okay!” Claudia quickly got up and hugged Callum and Rayla as if she hadn’t seen them in months.

“Of course we’re okay,” Rayla said, confused. “Are you?”

“Was it the puppet nightmare again?” Callum asked as Claudia released them.

“Yeah, it was the... the puppet nightmare.” Claudia lied, eyes darting back and forth. “He was... chasing me on foot... and he had a knife.”

Callum grabbed her shoulders, “It’s okay, Clauds. The puppet can’t hurt you. Puppets are very easily disposable.”

“Please don’t say ‘disposable’,” Claudia said, fiddling with her fingers. Disposable was exactly how she used to view the remaining fae parts that she no longer needed for a spell. No doubt disposable was what her dark self thought of her friends.

“Okay. ‘Mutilated’ then?” Callum asked.

“Burned to a crisp?” Rayla suggested. 

“Chopped in half?”

“No! Please stop!” Claudia screamed, which startled the couple. Normally imagining a puppet getting mutilated was what helped her cope with the nightmare.Seeing the confused looks on their faces, Claudia tried to play it off like it was nothing.

“I mean, puppets have feelings too, right?”

“They... really don’t,” Rayla said, still very confused. Claudia was always peculiar, but this wasn’t the usual Claudia-antics they were used to. She looked uncharacteristically jumpy. Was the nightmare really that bad?

“ _You don’t know that!_ ” Claudia snapped, then quickly covered her mouth. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to shout, I’m not mad at you, I could never be mad, you did nothing wrong, why would anyone want anything bad to happen to you? _I wouldn’t!_ ”

“Claudia, breathe,” Rayla said, gripping her friend’s shoulders. “There’s no synonym in cinnamon.”

Claudia repeated along with Rayla, “There’s no synonym in cinnamon. There’s no synonym in cinnamon. There’s no synonym in cinnamon.” She released a calming breath. “I’m okay. I’m fine.”

“Good, because Nyx snagged us some real grub,” Soren said, smelling the sweet aroma of cooked meat.

“I also got some fruits and veggies for the vegans,” Nyx said, offering Ezran and Zym a bowl of jimmy fruit. Claudia decided to eat the vegetarian meal instead. She really wasn’t in the mood for meat.

(~)

That night while everyone else was asleep, Claudia kept tossing and turning. She tried to clear her head, to think of happy thoughts like cute bouncing baby bunnies, or baby fawns in a beautiful meadow, or heck Evie fluttering her tiny wings over a garden of tulips while sniffing them with her fork tongue. Sadly, every single one of those pure images was destroyed by her dark self.

She ripped the fawn’s head clean off its body which fell in a pool of its own ruby blood. The cute bouncing bunnies were sliced in half with a knife, and Evie’s entire body and soul was sucked into the dark mage’s hand, her earth magic infusing her with Evie’s magic. The sight reminded Claudia of her father as the purple veins on her dark double multiplied, wrapping around her arms and sprouting across her face until she was completely covered in it. Her dark eyes sparkling like shiny pebbles as she laughed devilishly at the carcass of dead animals around her, literally drinking their blood from a silver chalice encrusted with amethysts like the ones from her father’s staff.

Claudia couldn’t do anything or say anything. The dark mage stole her voice before she could utter a gasp. Claudia was powerless and helpless. Her potion bag was gone, everything around her was dead, the plants, the animals, everything. All the magic was sucked away, devoured by this wicked woman who grew in size, towering over the helpless Claudia like a malevolent goddess of the universe. In fact, Claudia could see the entire cosmos right above her head.    


“ _ **You know it’s pointless, Clauds.**_ ” her dark version loomed over her, offering her a cup of blood, which shrunk as it got closer to Claudia’s face. She stared at her reflection in the red liquid, clear as a mirror, not even the ripples distorted the image.

“ _ **Just give in. It won’t hurt. I promise I’ll be right here.**_ ” The dark mage echoed in a soft, comforting tone, but Claudia recognized the words instantly. They were the same words her father told her when she first started practicing dark magic. Claudia took the cup with shaking hands. As if against her own free will, her hands were reaching up to her mouth, as though she were ready to take a sip. With a grunt, she forced her hands to throw the cup to the floor where it shattered, blood spilling everywhere.

“ _Leave me alone!_ ” Claudia screamed.

The dark mage roared like a beast, growing even larger than before. “ _ **It doesn’t matter how many times you try to deny yourself. I will never leave you. Every time you close your eyes, every time you make a mistake, every time you have one tiny dark thought or impulsive. I... will... be there. You’ve already lost, girl. You have already lost.**_ ”

Claudia woke up gasping for air. Her nightmares were suffocating. Literally. She felt sick to her stomach, her skin and hands were clammy, and when she looked at her reflection on one of the jars inside her bag, she would see the ugly dark purple bags under her eyes. She looked like the living dead.

The only relief she felt was that the others hadn’t woken up from her gasps, even Evie was sound asleep, curled up beside her in a tiny bed of grass. Claudia hurried away from the others, her legs half asleep as she forced herself towards the trees. She repeated her calming mantra and collected her thoughts.

“It was just a dream. It was just a dream.” She said to herself. “Except it’s not a dream. She’s always going to be there no matter what I do.” Claudia hugged herself, shaking at the thought of going back to sleep. “I can’t outrun her.”

Her eyes widened when she got an idea, “Or maybe I can. She can only show up if I fall asleep right?” She asked.

“Well, I guess that’s kind of true.” She answered herself.

“Of course it is!” She laughed like someone who had clearly been deprived of sleep for the past several hours. “I just have to stay awake. No sleep, no evil me. It’s that simple.”

Claudia paused, “Sounds unhealthy.”

She clenched her fists close to her face. “What’s unhealthy is seeing that dark me spreading lies!”

Claudia rubbed her hands together, “Maybe I should tell the others, they’ll understand.”

Her right eye started to twitch, “Understand that a part of you wants to kill them?!”

She shook her head, “That’s crazy! I don’t want to kill them.”

Her right eye twitched again and she hunched her back, “But _she_ does, and she won’t stop until she has Rayla’s head on a spike!”

She covered her mouth in horror, “No!”

Then hunched her back again, her fingers curling inwards like claws, “Or Callum’s wings stuffed into a bag, and not even a nice one like yours!”

Claudia shuddered, “That’s sick!”

She nodded to herself, once again with her hunched back and clawed hands out, “I know!”

“But they’re my friends, they know I could never hurt them.”

“Says the girl who’s killed millions of faeries in her life!”

“I wouldn’t say I killed _millions_ of them.”

“They were Rayla’s subjects! Her people”

“You think I don’t know that?! Besides, I’ve changed.”

“Have you?”

“Yes.”

“Have you?”

Claudia blinked. “... yes.”

She blinked again. “... have you though?”

“I don’t know, okay! I just want to get her out of my head!”

“Then don’t sleep! Focus on the mission. Returning the dragon heart to Xadia and protecting your friends is the surest-fire way to prove that you’ve put the darkness behind you, and she’ll be gone for good.” Claudia rubbed her hands together, laughing hysterically.

“Is that rational?” Claudia said to herself, scratching her head. “I think the lack of sleep is already getting to me.”

“ _Don’t sssleep!_ ” Claudia hissed, eyes wide and droplets of spit spewed from her mouth. “What’s more important? A beauty nap or your friends?”

“You make a good point.”

“Attagirl, I knew you’d make the smart choice.”

“Yeah, sleep is for the tired. I’m pumped, baby!”

“That’s the spirit! You’re so smart, Claudia.”

“No, you’re so smart.”

“No, you.”

“No, you.”

“No, you.” Claudia stopped and looked around. The others were still asleep and she was standing there, talking to herself. Well, there was nobody else to talk to. Claudia shook her head, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“Actually, maybe just one... little nap... wouldn’t... kill me...” Claudia said sluggishly and leaned against the tree, closing her eyes and sliding down to the grass. A couple of seconds later she was jumping back up, gasping.

“No! Nope.”

(~)

The run raised from behind the mountaintops, scaring away the shadows of the evening, making way for the day to come. Everyone was all snuggled up against one another. Callum and Rayla, as always, with their arms wrapped around each other, and now their wings too. Ezran was curled up against Rayla’s side, her wing covering him like a blanket. Zym slumbered near Callum, and Bait slept near Nyx who, unbeknownst to everyone else, was sleeping peacefully with her head snuggled comfortably on Soren’s shoulder. She tried sleeping with her head back against the tree but her head fell and landed on the knight. Her multicolored hair was soft against Soren’s cheek.

The birds from above sang their good morning song, which was rudely interrupted by the sound of a spatula hitting a frying pan.

This unpleasantly loud noise was what got everyone to wake up. Soren and Nyx jumped up, the knight pulling out his sword and Nyx hissing and snarling with her staff in hand. Rayla had her wings spread out, claws and teeth out.

Callum jumped up, his wings spread out and his powers reacted to the scare. His tattoos glowed and a bolt of lightning came shooting out of his hands, pushing him back on his rump. The blast struck a tree, creating a very visible burnt mark.

“Breakfast!” Claudia sang in a high pitched happy voice, completely ignoring the massive burnt tree behind her. The tree itself cracked and fell down with a loud thump, leaves flying in all directions.

Everyone stared at Claudia who was holding a plate of what could look like squashed berries and fruit sprinkled with powdered sugar and mint leaves on top.

“Who wants some Yummy-Berry-Fruit surprise!” She sang, showcasing the bowl to her friends and whispered, “The surprise is I may have lost a measuring spoon while making this. Whoever finds it gets seconds!”

Rayla sniffed the colorful blend and her eyes sparkled and her ears perked up with interest. “Smells delicious.”

Callum dipped his finger to taste. “Mmm. Is that cinnamon?”

“I had an extra batch in my bag. Come on, there’s plenty for everybody.” Claudia noticed Nyx and Soren with their weapons, “Guys, put those away and eat. We’ve got a long journey ahead, we’ll need all the protein.”

Nyx and Soren looked at each other and put their weapons away. “Is she always this perky after two near-death experiences?” Nyx asked.

“Honestly, I stopped trying to figure her out eighteen years ago.”

Claudia prepared everyone’s bowls and watched as they enjoyed their meal. She gave some fresh fruits and berries to the animals, though Evie managed to snag herself a chipmunk, something that disgusted both Zym and Bait so they ate at a distance from the snake sprite who ate her breakfast with predatory ferocity.

When it was Nyx’s turn she sniffed the liquids from her spoon before tasting it. The sensation did a whole song and dance number on her tongue.

“This is really good.”

“Impossibly sweet, right?” Claudia said, savoring her own creation. “Evie helped me find the extra berries.

“You know what would go great with this? A big stack of pancakes.” Soren said and ate a big spoonful.

While everyone else was enjoying their breakfast, Rayla couldn’t help but notice Claudia’s tired expression. Her skin was dry and pale, and her vibrant green eyes have become dull. Not only that, but there were clear hints of dark bangs under her eyes.

“Clauds, how long have you been up?” Rayla asked, lowering her bowl and spoon.

“Not long, why?”

“You look a little...” Rayla bit her lip, trying to think of the least offensive description, “Sleep-deprived.” She settled on.

Claudia’s half-open eyes widened. Rayla was always good at picking up suspicious behavior, just as she was good at doing so with her father. Claudia vaguely remembered the conversation she had with herself last night. Maybe it was the lack of proper sleep or the trauma of her nightmares clouding her clear thinking, but she didn’t want to talk about the dark version of herself.

Deep down, she knew that the creepy mirror self was telling the truth. Years of dark magic usage had come back to haunt her. Claudia could feel it, like really bad indigestion rolled up into a ball and hardened overnight. Like she was carrying around a heavy rock inside her stomach, its effects coursing through her bones and bloodstream. Since Rayla introduced her to the old magic Claudia had been using dark magic-less and less, but she still used it to please her dad.

But now that she had completely disowned it she was going through dark-magic withdrawals. She thought it was only a myth, a rumor made up by anti-dark magic people. Some mages went mad with it, but Viren always dismissed it as an ignorant rumor. Like everything else he told her, it was a big fat lie, and now she had no idea how to get rid of it.

She had to convince herself that dark magic had no power over her, she refused to let this dark side of herself take over. But she was scared, scared of telling everyone. What could she say? That she was having nightmares of an evil version of herself telling her to give in to dark magic? What would they think of her?

No, they would never shun her. They weren't her father, they loved Claudia, it wouldn’t matter to them. But no, she couldn’t. She would prove to this dark self that she was stronger than her. That she had the will to change. She could fight her, she knew she could. She wasn’t going to turn into her father.

“Actually, I couldn’t sleep after a while so I figured why waste a perfectly good twilight morning?” Claudia quickly redirected the conversation to something else, “So, now that we’re all filled up we should get a move on. The sooner we get to Xadia the sooner we can end this war and the sooner the war ends the better the world will be.” Claudia said joyfully while pouring something into her bowl.

“Are you pouring hot brown morning potion into your bowl?” Callum asked, his nose crinkling at the odd, and no doubt unpleasant, mixture.

“How does it taste?” Ezran asked with a disgusted look on his face

“ _Really_ bad but it _really_ perks ya up!” Claudia said cheerfully and offered a spoonful to the prince. “Want some?”

“I’ll pass,” Callum said politely. Claudia shrugged and threw aside the spoon and preceded to chunk down the entire bowl in a matter of minutes. Watching her made everyone else lose their appetites one by one. Once finished, Claudia sighed contently, her belly full and she threw the bowl over her shoulder like it lost its value.

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road. Literally!” Claudia whistled, already getting a head start, while everyone else continued to stare at her.

“I don’t feel safe,” Nyx said, ears pressing down and her tail curling inwards as if to hide.

(~)

Claudia was grateful for the hot brown morning potion’s effects, but also regretful for indigestion mixing it with fruits and berries might have done. Thankfully, she always had a strong stomach (she had to if she was going to pluck all of those fairy wings as a kid), so she managed to walk it off. Though, she did have to stop and vomit some semblance of her breakfast near some bushes. Aside from that, she managed to get through the day rather well.

Her bangs were fading but her skin was still pale and her eyes dull. The sun was really strong today, or at least she thought so, that she had to shield her vision every time they walked out into the burning daylight.

She was grateful for the shadows that formed whenever Rayla and Callum flew over them. Taking advantage of their free time, Rayla continued giving Callum flying lessons. From the looks of it, the kid was a natural. It was as if he was born to fly. Though, that was probably the case, being born a sky fae and all.

Callum managed to get the hang of flapping and pushing himself forward in midair. He always loved the sensation of the wind in his face, through his hair, embracing him like an invisible hug. Rayla was right, flying was everything he could ever imagine. Nothing could hold him back. It was just like dancing alone in his room to the music of the thunderstorms outside his window, or the sound of violins and fiddles in an open yard.

All those years cooped up in a castle, wandering aimlessly through the walls, feeling small and out of place. For once, he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be. And flying beside Rayla was like living out a dream. She looked so beautiful spinning in the air, wings flapping with swan-like grace, the diamonds on her membranes sparkling in the sunlight, bringing out the shine of her silver hair.

She was breathtaking.

Rayla’s cheeks were sore from so much smiling. Callum never looked happier as he spun in the air, using his new wings to the fullest extent, and, admittedly, the sleeveless look really suited him. He looked almost older after he got his full wings, his confidence growing with every wingbeat. He gave a rousing cheer and performed a nosedive and the tip of his boots kicked the leaves of the trees down below.

“Best! Day! Ever!” Callum shouted as he spun around Rayla, ambushing her with a kiss on her left cheek then her right. Rayla blushed at his boldness.

“Slow down there, Sparky. You’re still getting the hang of flapping straight.”

“You were right, Rayla. Flying is the most amazing feeling in the world.” Callum threw his arms up and did a quick flip, almost losing momentum for a moment before regaining it. “I meant to do that.”

Rayla rolled her eyes cheekily, “Since you’re feeling so confident, want to test out your speed next?”

“You mean like a race? You’re on, princess.”

“A race sounds like fun,” said Ezran, who joined them while riding on Zym’s back.

Rayla shrugged, having Ez join could be fun too. The youngest brother enjoyed flying just as much as his brother. “Alright, but let’s make it a little interesting. Last one to reach that apple tree has to kiss Bait.”

Callum grimaced at the idea of his lips touching Bait’s. The glow toad didn’t look too happy about it either, even Ezran felt his stomach churn at the thought. “Sorry buddy, I love you but... _Not it!_ ” Ezran shouted and had Zym high tail it out of there. “High Ho, Zym! Away!”

“Hey! No head starts!” Callum exclaimed then her and Rayla flapped their wings like their lives depended on it. Which, in a way, it kind of did.

From below, Soren kept watch of the princes, every now and again shouting at the, to be careful. They were flying so high up that sometimes he would lose sight of one over the other.

“Will you relax, they’re doing fine. That kid was born to fly.” Nyx said while tapping his shoulders.

“Yeah sure, it’s all fun and games until someone drops to the ground and breaks their skull,” Soren said while biting his nails. He heard his sister panting while leaning against the side of the large stones that surrounded the gorge they were passing through. The trees around were tall enough to keep Callum and Rayla hid from view, and this was the one path that would take them straight east towards Xadia with little to no concern of being discovered by someone. 

The whole way Claudia kept drinking cup after cup of hot brown morning potion to keep herself awake. It was working fine a few hours ago but the effects were already starting to wear off. She needed to stay awake, she could already feel the dark Claudia breathing in her ear. When she turned around she was relieved to see that it was only Evie. The snake sprite grew very concerned about her friend’s health. She was tired and kept pushing herself to the point she was afraid she would fall down.

After a few more steps, Claudia finally stopped to catch her breath. “Clauds, are you okay?” Soren asked while kneeling beside her.

“Yeah, yeah,” she lied, “I just need to... rest my feet for a bit.” She rubbed the sole of her boot to sell the facade. Soren shrugged and allowed his sister to take a breather. The mage looked up seeing the two princes and princess laughing while flying. Rayla and Ezran were hugging their stomachs while Callum was wiping his lips with his glove, and Bait turned a sickly green followed by an annoying red.

As Claudia looked up her heart swelled at seeing humans, faeries, and dragons getting along so naturally after so many years of vengeance and death. Claudia couldn’t stop thinking about the image Rayla showed her the night prior. The world used to be so beautiful, so full of life, but this war had caused one half of the continent to slowly die and wither. It all became clear to Claudia now, and she was still chastising herself to being so blind before. Her eyes have been opened, but with this truth also came a very unfortunate reality.

Dark magic, the magic she had been using for years, the magic she trained to improve on, was still inside of her. It left a mark in her heart, inside her body, like a scar or a burnt mark that couldn’t be hidden away by covering it with a cloth. She could feel the presence of her dark self looming, following her like a shadow. Every now and again Claudia would feel herself jump at the sight of her actual shadow. Every time she blinked she saw her glowing purple eyes staring into her soul.

The laughter of her friends reminded her of her mission, of what she was fighting for. She never wanted anything more than she wanted to set things right. To undo the wrongs committed by people like herself, like her father.

Soren studied Claudia’s features. She wasn’t her usual upbeat self, and even when she was it looked more as in she was trying to amp up the quirkiness up to an eleven, maybe more whenever someone asked if she was okay. Not to mention all of the times he caught her drinking straight out of her hot brown morning potion pouch.

“Hey!” Claudia exclaimed when her brother snatched the pouch from her hand.

“I think you’ve had enough for one day.” Soren pressed his hand on Claudia’s face as she tried to reach for her pouch and Soren held it over his head so she couldn’t reach it. Claudia gave up and dropped her arms, removing her brother’s filthy hand, and started to gag.

“Ugh! Your hand smells like dirt!”

“Come on, what’s really going on? You can tell me.”

As dense as Soren could be at times, there were two things he was really good at: being a knight and being a big brother. Claudia caught a glimpse of her shadow and for a second she thought she saw her dark self’s glowing purple eyes again. Even while wide awake she couldn’t get her out of her mind. There was no escape. Maybe talking it out would help, she realized. If there was anyone who wouldn’t judge her for wrestling with dark tendencies it was Soren. She just hoped he wouldn’t suspect something was wrong with her.

Taking a deep breath, Claudia was ready to come clean. “Okay, the truth is... there is something that’s been bothering me lately and I was afraid to say anything because I didn’t anyone to think I was having second thoughts or—“

“I think I know.” Soren interrupted. Claudia gasped, her heart racing.

“You do?”

“Yeah. You’re feeling guilty because you miss dad and you wish he didn’t turn, you know, all evil and stuff.”

“Oh. Well, yeah I guess that is sort of true.” That... wasn’t entirely right but not entirely wrong either. It was true, Claudia did still think about her father often. In fact, every time she thought of her dark self the memory of her Father’s dark eyes and purple veins wasn’t too far behind.

“I can’t stop thinking about it.” She said, hugging herself while Evie curled around her wrist. Claudia lifted her to her face and the snake sprite bop her nose with her tail.

“Me neither.” Soren got comfortable, sitting side by side with his little sister. “What he did to the king to the dragons to my friends,” his voice cracked at the memory of the knights’ frightened faces before they were turned to stone before his eyes. “It was so... not the dad I remember.” Soren sucked in his breath, fighting the tears that stung his eyes like bee stings. He wasn’t one to open up about his feelings all that much, but with everything that’s happened Claudia was the only person Soren knew could understand what he was going through. What they were both going through.

“I know.” Claudia said, “I didn’t want to believe it either. I tried to put it behind me and focus on the mission but... a part of me... still misses him and I’m angry for missing him. Does that make me terrible?”

“No. At least, I don’t think so. I miss him too. I didn’t like what he did, sure, but he’s still our dad. We can’t change that.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to come crawling back to him.” Claudia closed her eyes shut but the tears still came. “I don’t want to go back, Soren. I _can’t_ go back.”

“Hey, hey, come here.” Soren pulled her in close. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get the heart back to Xadia and everything will turn out fine.”

“What if dad doesn’t change? And even if he does, how can we just forgive him?”

Soren didn’t have an answer for that. He wished he did, but he didn’t. “I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m here for you. I promise, that will never change.” Soren said, wiping her tears and Evie did too with her tail. “And Evie’s got your back, too.”

“I know.” Claudia wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged her brother close.Soren always used to brag about wanting to be like their father, but for the first time in her life, Claudia was happy that he wasn’t. Soren was a better man than Viren could ever hope to be. She looked on at her shadow and, for a moment she didn’t see the purple eyes. She sighed in relief. She may not have told Soren everything, but at least now she felt a little bit more at ease knowing her brother was always on her side.

“But, could we not tell the others about this?” Claudia said as she wiped her face.

“Why not? They’re not going to hate you.” Soren could not believe how smart and deep he sounded. He had always been branded the brainless muscles and for a long time, he accepted this. He didn’t think he could ever be as smart as his father or sister, but here he was spewing words that were genuinely thoughtful and sentimental.

“I know, I just feel ready telling them yet. Baby steps, you know.”

Claudia half believed herself, but the stirring darkness was still there, even in this brief moment of peace. She could tell the others about her missing her father, that wasn’t an issue, Callum, Rayla, and Ezran would be the last to fault her for missing a parent regardless of what he had done. But the dark part of her... she was still scared. Or maybe it was more on the lines that she hoped if she could get rid of it on her own terms then it wouldn’t matter in the long run.

For now, she was just happy to have her brother be her emotional support. As the two shared their moment Nyx watched at a respectable distance. Her keen hearing picked up on a few things, mainly about their father but she respected their privacy and blocked her ears or distracted herself with something else in the meantime. Though she had to admit, it was really sweet of Blondie to console his sister like that. Nyx never really had anyone after her parents died, and Rhiannon was the only first real friend she ever had.

Claudia was lucky to have a brother like Soren. He really was a knight at heart. The sound of wingbeats alerted them and Callum, Rayla, and Ezran swooped down. Rayla landed with perfection while Callum flapped around like a distorted moth when trying to land. He tucked in his wings and landed clumsily on his feet.

“Hey, I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.” He said, still in the unbalanced position with his knees close together.

“Good news everyone, we’re on the right track.” Rayla said, “If keep this up we’ll be at Xadia’s border in about three to four days tops.”

“Oh, no,” Soren said, shaking his head.

“What?” Nyx asked.

“Normally when Rayla says ‘Good News’ it usually follows up with ‘Bad News’.”

“Well, it’s only ‘bad’ depending on your perspective.” Rayla smiled awkwardly. Soren sighed and waited for her to just say it and spare them the suspense. “The only other fastest path, believe it or not, is through the eastern mountains.”

“The east mountains?” Soren said. “The snowy east mountains with ice, and snow, and ice!”

“You’re still not over your snow phobia?” Callum said.

“I’m not scared of snow, I just hate it! It’s cold, it’s wet, and totally ruins your day. Kind of like an ex-girlfriend but warmer.”

“You never had a girlfriend,” Claudia said.

“Do you have to tell everyone?!”

“Everybody knows.”

Callum, Rayla, and Ezran all nodded in agreement. Even the pets and Zym hadn't been with them long enough to even know about it. It just made too much sense. Soren blushed in embarrassment and Nyx, actually felt a little sorry, and surprised. She would have assumed Blondie had a swarm of human ladies waiting in line to go out with him. For all of his antics, he wasn’t the worst looking human she had seen thus far. Of course, she would rather swallow saltwater than let that slip out.

“Whatever, isn’t there another route? One without frozen water and slippery icicles of death?”

“Well, there’s the Midweek Swamp, but that one is infested with man-eating bunyips and will delay us by a week,” Rayla said.

“Yeah, no.”

“Or we could go through the crystal caverns.”

“Oh, that doesn’t sound too bad.”

“Which houses a venomous Tatzelwurm, half snake-half cat, all bloodthirsty.”

“I’m not much of a cat guy, plus I hate caves.”

“There are the eastern woods which, and if my bestiary knowledge is accurate, should be the primary mating grounds for perytons around this time of year.”

“Aww, those cute winged deer things?” Soren cooed. The idea of a tiny buck with feathers walking up to him was, admittedly, an adorable image.

“Yeah, they are cute,” Ezran said with a smile, which quickly changed into a look of dread and horror. “Until they tear at your flesh with their crocodile teeth and devour your heart in a single gulp before leaving your rotting corpse to be devoured by the mountains lions, and then eat them for dessert.” Bait croaked slowly, sounding vaguely like a ghostly moan for dramatic effect. Soren froze and his left eye twitched.

“They also happen to be an endangered species,” Ezran concluded in his normal voice.

“Wait, the mountain lions or the pery-things?”

“Yes.”

“Sorry Soren, but the east mountains are the quickest and by far the safest route we can take right now,” Callum said.

Nyx stretched her wing and gave them a good flap, lifting herself into the air. “Hey, my wings are all better. If things get too difficult for you Blondie, the rest of us with wings can pick up the slack.”

Soren didn’t know why but he blushed at the idea of being carried up in Nyx’s arms again. Not that he enjoyed the first time, or at least that’s what he kept telling himself.

“I vote for rock climb up winter wonderland.” Claudia raised her hand.

“Me too. We could finally build a snowman in summer!” Ezran said and ruffled the alicorn’s mane. “You’re gonna love it Zym.”

Once again, Soren was outvoted. Still, if this really was the fastest way to get to Xadia, the so be it. Besides, Soren did a number or productive workouts going up the stairs of the castle, this would be no different. So long as he thought that and everyone stayed together they would be fine.

Once they reached the edge of the mountainside Claudia could already feel the drowsiness taking hold as she looked up at the high mountain. Her vision was cloudy and she rubbed her eyes. Her eyelids were feeling heavier.

“Whoa. That’s one tall mountain.” She said.

“I guess you could say it’s... the _Katollest!_ ” Soren laughed at his own pun. Rayla and Nyx raised their brows but Callum, Ezran, and Claudia were laughing their heads off, Claudia even shed a tear or two. At least that woke her up.

“That is the funniest joke I’ve ever heard! You are a genius.” Claudia said.

“Was it really that funny?” Nyx said to the princess.

“Puns are kind of their thing,” Rayla said with an amused smile.

Then Claudia then picked up a pile of dirt in her hand. “Hey, what do you call this?”

“I don’t know, what?” Soren asked.

“The Ka- _shortest_ mountain!” Claudia laughed at her own joke, which wasn’t all that well received. She wrapped one arm around Callum, still laughing hysterically while everyone else stared at her like her loose screw finally fell off.

“Now I’m wondering if you got the first joke,” Soren said.

Nyx actually snickered at that one. “Okay, _that_ one was funny.” she patted Soren on the back as they prepared to make their way up the mountain. The soft smile was not lost on Callum.

(~)

The first half of the climb wasn’t all that bad, in fact, it was rather smooth at first. It wasn’t too steep and the weather wasn’t freezing cold, though Claudia made sure Evie stayed snug as a bug in a rug inside her bag, wrapped in warm blankets inside one of the pockets sowed inside the bag. She could tell the snake sprite was already taking a nap.

Rayla, Callum, and Nyx patrolled the air to guide the others through the tough terrain, which parts were safe to walk on and which ones weren’t, pulling them up whenever they struggled. Callum and Rayla noticed that Nyx often helped Soren more often than the others while they mostly aided Ezran and Claudia expensively. Ez didn’t need much help thanks to Zym, though Bait decided to hitch a ride on Callum’s head for a bit.

Claudia kept panting as she went, more so than the others. She grew tired much more quickly and she kept drinking from her hot brown morning potion pouch.

“Are you still drinking that stuff?” Rayla said while hovering over her.

“Helps me stay alert,” Claudia said, her voice dripping with exhaustion.

“You need another boost up?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Just dandy.” Claudia said, nearly slipping off the side of the mountain until Rayla caught her. “Thanks.” She bent over, clutching her knees as she panted. “Give me a second to... catch my breath.”

“We could take a short break,” Rayla suggested as she rubbed her friend’s back. “Maybe a nap?”

“No!” Claudia exclaimed, swatting Rayla’s hand away. The dragon princess was surprised by the mage’s reaction but Claudia was downright horrified. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to do that, it’s just, I don’t need sleep. I’m right as rain.” Claudia marched onwards, hoping that if she demonstrated she could climb the hill just fine then Rayla wouldn’t keep asking questions.

However, the princess kept a close eye on the mage; something wasn’t right with her, she could feel it. She never needed to drink that much morning potion and it was clear that she hadn’t slept well at all the night prior. She kept yawning and getting slower as they went on but she stubbornly refused to rest. Every time someone suggested rest, Claudia became uncharacteristically irritable and testy.

This wasn’t the Claudia she knew.

Soren marched on, Nyx’s shadow swooping over him every time she flew by. Every now and again they would exchange friendly smiles and waves, the SkyWing clearly keeping a close eye on him in case he needed help.

Callum landed beside Soren, walking on foot, his wings tucked inwards while Bait jumped off of his head and decided to stretch his legs as well.

“So, um, you and Nyx seem to be getting along pretty well lately.”

Soren snapped his head around when Callum spoke, as though his mind were somewhere else entirely. “Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess so.” He shrugged. “Why?”

“Nothing, just something I’ve noticed.” Callum tried to act cool and nonchalant about it but there was only so much he could do. He and Soren rarely spoke about girls, and dating and the last time they did was when Callum was helping Soren actually win Rayla’s affection. He chuckled at the irony. Callum fought his own jealousy to be a good friend when in the end it was Soren who threw in the towel after witnessing just how much the two liked each other.

Callum picked up on the subtle hints that Soren and Nyx were growing fond of each other. He wouldn’t go as far as to say they were “falling”, they had only known each other for a few days, but their body language suggested a growing friendship and, at least from Soren’s side, hints of a possible attraction.

“She’s pretty cool, isn’t she?” Callum said. “Nyx, I mean.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Soren said, looking up to see her flying by again. A smile tugged on the corner of his lip. “She is pretty cool.”

“It’s funny. Last week, you would brag about wanting to slay a dragon and now you’re practically flirting with one.”

“Yeah, it’s—Wait, what?!” Soren spun around only to be met with the step-prince’s cheeky smile. He looked up and was relieved to see that Nyx hadn’t heard them. Soren grabbed Callum by the shoulder in an effort to try and scare him, but the prince was unfazed, still smiling in triumph. “What are you saying?”

“Come on, you didn’t think I wouldn’t notice, did you? The soft stares, the laughing, you staring when she’s not looking.”

“I don’t stare.”

“Eagle eyes don’t lie.” Callum poked the tip of Soren’s nose and the knight aggressively released the prince.

“Would you stop it! Even if I did like her that way, and I’m not saying I do, why do you care?”

“Okay, maybe I’m in over my head and there really is nothing going on between you,” Callum said, though the grin on his face begged to differ. “But if—and note I said _IF_ —something does change in the long run, would it really be so bad? You said so yourself, she’s really cool.”

Soren would admit that Callum was right about that. Nyx was cool as she was brave. She clearly cared about Rayla, was witty, and independent, and quick on her feet. Yes, she was snarky and aloof, but she really wasn’t all that bad. Heck, she exemplified the old code better than Soren ever did.

Even if he did find her a little attractive (or a lot) that didn’t change the fact A) They just met and B) There were far more important things to focus on at the moment.

“In case you forgot, your royal feather-head, we’re on a mission to return a disembodied dragon heart to a magical land to stop a war. Remember that? It was your idea.”

“Hey, most if not all of the best romances happen during a life-changing quest.”

Soren narrowed his eyes. “You really need to stop reading so many fairytales. It can’t be healthy. Besides even if I did like her like that—and I’m not saying I do because I _don’t_ —“ Soren insisted, though he knew Callum wasn’t buying into his claims. “We barely know each other.”

“Then get to know her, if that’s what you want. It’s like what I told you when you tried to woo Rayla. Just talk to her and be honest. Relationships are built on communication, honesty, and trust.” Callum said as he pulled out a finger for all three virtues.

“And that stuff really works?”

“It worked for me, didn’t it?” Callum winked and flew off, leaving Soren with Bait.

“You got any dating advice for me, frog?”

Bait only croaked.

“I don’t think I’m legally allowed to do that yet.” Soren joked. He really didn’t understand what Bait was saying, he was just trying to be funny.

Bait didn’t find it amusing though, especially since whatever it was Soren thought he said wasn’t even close to what he meant. The glow toad croaked and walked past the knight. Soren shook his head, dirty blond bangs dropping over his eyes and he pulled them back looking up. Callum caught up to Nyx and Zym, and Soren felt his face grow warm at the thought of Nyx having heard their conversation.

If Callum dared tell her anything he’d make him permanently part of the ground. The kid grows a pair of wings, finds out his girlfriend is a dragon and suddenly he believes he’s such an expert on romance. Soren clenched his jaw at the realization that the step-prince had better luck with women than he ever did. Back in Katolis women would swoon and sigh whenever he would walk by riding on his steed like the flawless heroes seen only in paintings and books.

But even with the privilege of being near every village girl’s ideal fantasy man, Soren never felt anything stronger than infatuation or physical attraction towards any of them. Looking back in it, even his feelings towards Rayla leaned more on the physical than her as a person, though even as Soren got to know her as a person he could see why Callum fell for her. Her personality was her most attractive feature, probably more so than her outer beauty. But Rayla wasn’t meant for Soren, he accepted this and even if he never did win her heart she was always a true and honest friend. Learning she was a dragon didn’t remove the friendly affection he held for her. She became like a second sister, often teasing him but supporting him when it mattered most.

Nyx, on the other hand, was a different case. Yes, she was brave and clever, and clearly devoted to the dragon princess, but after learning about her past it opened up the possibility that her cheeky and often aloof persona was mainly a front to mask her insecurities.

Something Soren knew all too well. He might be a knight but lately, he hadn’t felt like he lived up to his promise to King Harrow, and if his father saw him now he would surely disown him if he hadn’t already by now. The thought that his father would finally give up on him after not living up to his expectations made Soren’s heartache. Though none of his friends thought any less of him, and when he looked up, once again, he as Nyx smiling and waving, checking to see if he needed help. She was nice and sweet when she wanted to be, and she was kind of, for lack of a better word... pretty cute, not just in looks but also in character. It had only been a few days and yet Soren felt like he had gotten to see so much of Nyx that would normally take months or even a lifetime to know.

Callum and Ezran used to say that an adventure had a way of bringing out the best and worst in people. Soren wasn’t entirely sure if this was true or not, but one thing he did know, he liked Nyx and he wanted to be her friend. Whether this would lead to anything more wasn’t what mattered to him. He just...liked her company and wanted to know her better. He knew, without a doubt, that he could trust her with his life.

(~)

Claudia was no stranger to climbing mountains. She still remembered the blisters she got from her first climb up the mountain to retrieve the chimera fang. She felt Evie wiggle in her bag, her tiny snakehead poking out to check on her friend.

“I’m okay, Evie. Stay in there where it’s warm.” Claudia rubbed Evie’s head with her finger and the snake sprite slithered back in her blankets to keep warm from the cold. Rayla crunched down on a small slope and pulled Claudia upward.

“There is a solution, you know. We could just carry you guys up the rest of the way.” Rayla suggested.

Claudia grunted as she got up, ignoring Rayla’s offer as Soren climbed up next with Callum and Nyx helping him. Claudia’s breathing became quick and wheezy.

“Claudia, maybe you should stop for a second and catch your breath,” Ezran said as he dismounted Zym. The alicorn shook his neck, sparks flying off of his messy white mane.

Claudia shook her head, quickly feeling dizzy. “No, no I’m okay,” she said, trying to sound as cheerful as she could. She reached for her pouch skin and unbolted it to drink more of her hot brown morning potion, but all she could taste was a tiny, cold drop that barely had any kick to it. In a panic, she peeked into the pouch and saw that it was completely dried up.

“No, no, no, no! Who drank all my hot brown morning potion?!”

“ _You_ did!” Rayla said, growing impatient. “You’ve been drinking that stuff all day.”

Claudia blinked. Was she really that tired that she didn’t realize she was drinking her pouch dry?

“Oh..”

“No wonder you look so pale. You’ve barely eaten anything since breakfast,” Rayla reached for Ezran’s backpack and pulled out a sandwich and offered it to Claudia. The mage stared at the two pieces of bread, wrapped up in a clean white cloth. She could smell the banana and peanut butter and her stomach grumbled. She accepted the sandwich and started devouring it.

Soren began to question “Claudia, are you sure you—“

Claudia stopped him by shoving her hand in his face. “No! I mean, I’m _fine_.” She insisted, “I don’t need to talk about anything, there’s nothing upsetting me. I am perfectly happy and awake. See?” She then gave them a forced grin which, for lack of a better word, looked more creepy than happy.   
  


“If that’s your happy face I’d hate to meet your angry one,” Nyx said.

Claudia angrily threw the SkyWing the new half-eaten sandwich. “You know what, maybe we should be doing less chit-chat and more climb-climb.” Claudia pointed to the mountain. They still had a few miles left to go. As she looked upwards Claudia felt delirious. The rock was so high up it hurt to even spin around. Her lefts felt like rubber and she nearly fell only for Soren and Rayla to catch her and sit her down on the soft snow.

“That’s it, we’re stopping,” Rayla ordered. Nobody else protested. Whatever it was that was happening to Claudia, they all agreed she needed rest. But Claudia didn’t want to rest. She didn’t want to sleep, she didn’t want to think of her shadow still pestering her every time she felt sleep fighting to claim her.

“No!” Claudia forced herself away from the others, crawling on the snow. Her loud outburst echoed. Zym’s ears perched upwards at the sound of ice cracking. He nudged Ezran and pointed upwards to the icy side of the mountain and the crack that just formed.

“Claudia, it’s okay,” Rayla reached for her arm but Claudia dismissed her help as Ezran alerted Callum about the ice.

“No, it’s not.” Claudia panted as she sat on the snow. “The mission...” she breathed, “It’s too important,”

“Your health is important too,” Rayla said, reaching to help her friend. Why was she being so difficult? What was frightening her so much that she was scared to stop and rest?

Once again, Claudia dismissed Rayla’s attempts to help, her loud protests creating more cracks on the ice above. “Nothing is more important than getting you and the dragon heart to Xadia. My health doesn’t matter.”

“Um, guys,” Callum began, but his words fell upon deaf ears.

Rayla felt her heartbreak at Claudia’s words. “How can you say that? I don’t know what’s gotten into you but if you think that I’m going to let you carry on like this then you’re—”

“I’m what? Crazy? Is that what you were going to say? I’m a crazy dark mage?” Claudia really didn’t like being called that, especially not now. Then again, she wasn’t really thinking straight now.

“No, and you’re not a dark mage anymore.”

“Guys, keep it down,” Soren spoke through clenched teeth as their arguing resulted in more of the ice cracking. At this rate, they would be covered in snow and freeze to death.

“You don’t know that.” Claudia’s hands were shaking, her mind clouded and her anger taking hold. “You don’t know the things I’ve done. The creatures I’ve killed! You don’t know how it feels to hear their screams in your sleep. Feel their fresh blood on your hands!” She stared at her twitching clawed hands and pulled fistfuls of her hair. “I can’t escape it. No matter how hard I try I just—Hmph!”

Soren quickly covered Claudia’s mouth before her last word would, literally, be her last as well as theirs.

“You guys need to stop shouting. Look.” Callum whispered then pointed to the now enlarged cracks, “If we’re not careful we could start an avalanche. Got it?”

Claudia nodded with a muffled “Uh-huh,” with her mouth still covered by Soren’s hand.

“Not a peep,” Rayla whispered. She didn’t realize her and Claudia’s yelling was causing the ice to crumble.

Ezran shielded her eyes and sighed in relief. “Good, it stopped cracking.” He gave everyone a thumbs up and then pointed onwards, quietly. Rayla made a mental note to talk to Claudia about what she was talking about before. She was clearly bottling up something she didn’t want anyone else to know. Ordinarily, Rayla would be respectful of other people’s privacy but it was painfully clear that whatever it was she was hiding was tormenting her from the inside out. It wasn’t healthy.

The group marched onwards, quietly as possible. Zym’s tail kept going back and forth, his eyes fixated on the cracked ice as if waiting to see if the tiniest movement would get it going again. Bait was right behind him and the bushy end of the alicorn’s lion-like tail tickled the glow toad’s nostrils. He tried to hold it in, but Bait couldn’t fight the tickle any longer.

The glow toad released a powerfully loud sneeze that echoed all throughout the mountainside. The cracks on the ice grew and triggered a burst of snow to come crashing down the mountain, directly to the heroes.

“Run!” Callum shouted once he spotted the incoming blanket of snow. Ezran snatched Bait and Zym pushed Ez onto his back. The alicorn galloped at full speed as he others ran. Claudia lost her footing and tripped so Rayla opened her wings and swooped in to snatch her from the ground. Rayla was shorter than Claudia by a head, but her draconic strength allowed her to carry the mage as effortlessly as though she were carrying Ezran. Nyx got the same idea and snatched Soren before taking flight. She flinched a bit, feeling a small ache in her wings as she carried herself and the knight into the air but she shook it off and kept going.

Callum also took flight alongside Zym with Ezran and Bait riding on his back. The thick snow came in fast like a tsunami but the group was sure they could outfly it. They flew up, away from the snow but a massive chunk came flying out, striking Nyx on her back.

The SkyWing lost altitude and she and Soren plummeted down a cliff. Their friends cried out their names but the two were already head deep in snow.

The avalanche of snow stopped by an icy lake, the landscape was littered with pine trees wrapped in snow. Rayla, Callum, and Zym landed near the snow. Claudia, in a frenzy, started digging through the snow, calling out her brother.

“Soren! Soren, can you hear me! Soren!”

“I’m over here!” Soren called out from the icy lake, waving. “Hi!”

“Soren! You’re alive!”

“Where’s Nyx?” Rayla cried out. Just then a clawed hand poked out of the snow like the arm of a zombie and the SkyWing jumped out, shaking the snow off her body like a dog.

“Where is that bloody sneezing frog!” She crawled. Bait hid behind Zym’s legs and croaked while pointing a paw at the alicorn’s, blaming him for the avalanche.

Callum breathed a sigh of relief. “At least we’re all in one piece.”

Claudia cupped her hands around her mouth and called her brother. “Soren, can you walk back?”

“Yeah, I think—Ouch!” Soren winced after he tried to put pressure on his left ankle. “Oh, no. No, I think we have a problem.” Soren shouted back. Then he saw shadows moving beneath the frozen water.

“Make that two problems.” Soren gulped when he saw shadowy figures swimming beneath the ice. At first glance, he presumed they were fish. Except, fish don’t have long limbs... or claws... or scary glowing white eyes and strongly black hair. And they definitely didn’t hiss like snakes.

“Make that three problems—Help! Get me out of here! There’s something freaky in the water!” As soon as he shouted it, a ghastly scaly hand with bony fingers and razor-sharp claws punched out of the ice. More followed and with those horrific arms came horrific creatures. Fish-like humanoid abominations with wrinkly green skin with hues of blue and aquamarine, gills on their necks, and webbing between their fingers. Their lips were those of a fish but had two rows of teeth like those of a shark. Their eyes were pale white and had stringy black tendrils for hair that sprouted from their heads as though they were going bald. They broke free from underneath the ice and they set their sights on the injured young man.

And easy to capture a meal.

“Vodniks!” Rayla shouted, “I hate those things!”

“Again with the fish!” Claudia shouted.

Nyx shook off the rest of the snow from her wings and she and Rayla flew over to help Soren, who tried crawling away from the ugly things but his ankle made it difficult. He pulled out his sword to try and scare them away, but despite their bony exterior, they were a lot stronger than they looked. One grabbed his sword and threw it across the ice.

Though Rayla’s fire breath wasn’t as strong, she had regained enough strength to spit a hot enough flame at the vodniks. The fish monsters screeched and dove back into the water. Both Nyx and Rayla reached out to grad Soren’s waiting hands. He tightened his grip as they pulled him upwards. The ice beneath him shattered and more vodniks came, yanking and pulling at his cape and armor.

“Soren!” Claudia, Callum, and Ezran shouted.

Soren screamed, “Get ‘em off! Get ‘em off! Get ‘em off!”

The two dragons scratched at the fish people with their claws and Rayla spat more tongues of fire but by then Soren was already halfway in the freezing cold water. Callum flew over, staff in hand, and started swatting and hitting the creatures. One grabbed his staff and tried to pull him into the icy water.

“Let go of my father’s staff!” Callum kicked the creature in the face with his foot. Just as it looked like Rayla and Nyx would break Soren free, one of the vodniks scratched Rayla’s arm, tearing off her sleeve and drawing blood. This weakened her hold long enough for the vodniks to pull Soren back in. His hand slipped from Nyx’s grasp and the vodniks covered his face with their clammy hands as they pulled him under.

“Soren!” Claudia screamed as loud as a banshee. Her legs stopped working and she fell knee first on the snow. Her body felt colder than the icy chill that blew in their direction. This couldn’t be the end, it just couldn’t.

Nyx, Rayla, and Callum hovered over the hole in the ice, they could still make out Soren’s shape, sinking deeper and deeper into the thick darkness. Rayla spotted Soren’s sword on the ice. She snatched it and quickly dove into the water.

“Rayla!” Callum prepared to jump in after her but was stopped by Nyx. “Let me go!”

“If you dive in there you’ll freeze before you reach them. Rayla will be fine, she can survive the cold.”

Nyx was right. Rayla was a celestial, she was linked to the elements. “But she can’t fight those things alone!” Callum said, then gasped once remembered something from his books. “Nyx, don’t all dragons have thick scales that shield them from frigid temperatures?”

“What’s your point—Ooooh. Good thinking kid.” Without saying anything else Nyx dove into the icy water while Callum anxiously watched from the surface. He looked over to Claudia and Ezran. “It’s okay!” He shouted, “Rayla and Nyx will get him out.”

Claudia could barely breathe. The thought of losing Soren filled her with so much dread she was sure she would drop dead right on the spot.

Beneath the water the vodniks stripped Soren of his armor, leaving him with the black and white undershirt with the emblem of Katolis sewed onto his chest, but even that was being torn by the claws of the vodniks. Scraps of black and white fabric with gold lining floated around him, freezing before his eyes as the darkness caved in around him. Soren tried wiggling out of their grasp but their claws only dug in deeper, piercing his skin and drawing blood that floated upwards like a thick dark mist. 

It was getting harder and harder to hold his breath. The shapes of the vodniks blurred into the darkness with only their nightmarish white eyes remaining. the white orbs blurred together like white bubbles as his brain became slower and slower. His mouth opened releasing his last breath in the form of wiggling bubbles.

Just as he was about to accept these were his final hours, Soren could have sworn he could feel the vodniks’ grip loosening. In the darkness, he saw a silver light and the image of his mother appeared before him. A woman with dark brown hair, bright green eyes like Claudia, and her complexion fair and pure. She wore a peach shirt with a red velvet vest, a long brown skirt, and a white apron that was always tied around her waist. Her rosy lips curled into a tranquil smile and her cheeks glowed like the hues of a rose. Soren felt her delicate fingers on his cheek but then the vision dissolved into another. The face was that of another woman, but with scales, horns, multicolored hair, and mix-matched eyes.

Nyx.

Soren’s senses woke up and, for a brief moment, he caught a glimpse of Rayla swimming through the water, swinging his sword at the vodniks. Their bodies sliced in half and their thick dark blue blood puffed out of their bodies like the clouds right after an explosion.

He felt Nyx’s arms snake around him, her staff in hand, as she pulled him up. He felt Rayla beside him as well. With their wings as momentum, the two propelled to the surface.

Callum hovered over the ice, counting the seconds as they went by. When he looked over his shoulder he saw Claudia on her knees, hand clenched close to her heart while Ezran tried his best to console her. Zym whinnied sadly while Bait croaked with a worried expression. Evie flew out of the bag, fighting the cold as she curled around Claudia’s shoulders to try and comfort her.

Callum knelt over the ice, taping his hand impatiently as though trying to magically manifest the trio into existence as he stared intensely at the pitch-black waters.

“Come on, come on!” Callum jumped back, his wings flapping and lifting him into the air just when Rayla’s fist came punching out of another side of the lake. Rayla and Nyx came out for air, carrying a soaking wet, and freezing cold Soren.

From the shore, Claudia and Ezran cheered while the two dragons and sylph carried Soren back to shore. Nyx gently laid him down. His armor was gone, leaving nothing but thin torn clothing. His skin was icy cold and his lips were turning blue. Claudia knelt beside her brother, pulling his wet hair from his face.

“Soren? Soren, please you gotta be okay, just say something, anything.” Claudia begged. He looked so lifeless and he’d been underwater for longer than he should have been. After a couple more seconds, though they were the most heart-wrenching seconds of her life, Soren coughed out the water from his mouth, much to the relief of everyone. His eyes opened.

“M...Mom?”

“No, Sore-Bear, it’s me. Claudia.”

“Claudia?” Soren reached for her face, cupping her cheek the same way his mother did to him moments ago. “Is this... the afterlife?”

Callum shook his head. “No, it’s still just... the life. Still. You’re alive.”

“How do you feel?” Claudia assured him, rubbing his hand with her own to warm him up. Claudia and Nyx helped him sit back up. He was shivering uncontrollablybut at least he had all of his limbs and was alive. He winced in pain when he moved his leg.

“My ankle.” Soren reached for it and winced when he pressed pressure into it. Nyx inspected it.

“You must have sprained it during the fall. But aside from that, I think you’ll live.”

“It’s better than not living.” Soren joked, earning a soft chuckle from Nyx. “Thanks for saving me.” He added, making the dragon blush.

Rayla raised her hand. “I helped too.” She said. “Just throwing it out there. Oh, and here’s your sword back. Sorry about the vodnik blood, it got pretty gruesome down there.”

Rayla handed Soren his weapon and he accepted it with trembling hands. It was then he realized his armor was gone. He felt almost naked without it. Claudia flung her arms around his neck, trying to warm him with her body heat.

“I thought I lost you.” Claudia cried. Soren hugged her back, rubbing her back to calm her frantic sobbing.

“It’s okay, Clauds. I’m okay,” Soren could feel the cold leaving his body as everyone gathered around him, hugging him, including Zym and Bait. Even Evie flew out of the bag long enough to curl up on Soren’s head.

He may have lost his armor, but at least his friends were there to keep him warm.

(~)

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really worried about how I was going to make this one work, with THREE members of the team having wings and being able to fly. I hope I did a decent job at it. 
> 
> So yeah, it looks like Soren’s going to be in the market for some new armor, but not to worry, this will pave the way for a brand new, shinier, and far more meaningful armor change down the line. I’m a sucker for symbolism. 
> 
> A big round of applauds for Storylady35 for proof reading this one. Good to have you back, girl. I want to inform you guys that, given some wrenches that we’re thrown into my normally concrete schedule, and the dreaded inspiration monster coming and going without warning, all I ask is that you please be patient with the updates, okay. I still need to work on the draft for my next chapter of Flame and Sword, and I was commissioned by a printing company I applied to a couple months ago. At least I’ll be making money.
> 
> Speaking of which, I’ve been meaning to update my Etsy store merchandise, since I’m low on fancy items all I can offer at the moment are art prints. But, if you guys are interested, and if you don’t think it’s too tacky, I thought about making DragonHeart AU art prints and maybe, possibly, stickers and bookmarks of the cast.  
> Dragon Princess Rayla, Sylph Callum, Non-Dark-Mage Claudia, Alicorn Zym, Lady Siveth, etc. But only if you guys are interested. You can vote on the comments and if I see enough support then I’ll let you know when they are ready to be purchased. That all depends on you guys. 
> 
> Yay or nay? I won’t officially conform anything unless you ask for it. It would not only be a fantastic way to help out me and my family, but as a gift for your support and comments. 
> 
> Until next time, wish me luck. God bless, *kiss, kiss*


	20. Chapter 20

The cast of DragonHeart are seen lounging in Katolis castle. Rayla and Callum are talking while sitting on the couch. Ezran and Claudia are playing with a stack of blocks and Soren walk-in handing everyone a bag of what they ordered from Dunkin’ Donuts.

“Hey Cal, did you see last night’s episode of Knight’s Kingdom?” Soren asked while handing the half-sylph prince his bag of cinnamon donuts and gave Rayla her chocolate one with sprinkles.

“You know it!” Callum said, giving Soren a high-five.

“Um, could you guys please not discuss the episode? It aired past my bedtime last night so I had it DVRd for later.” Ezran said, putting the blocks aside and getting ready to take a bite out of his jelly donut.

“You haven’t seen it yet?” Claudia said with an excited smile. “Oh, you are going to love it.”

“Stop spoiling it, woman!” Ezran exclaimed. Everyone else’s stared at the young prince with surprise. 

“Relax Ez, she just said you’ll love it. It’s a great episode.” Callum said.

“What did I just say? Zip the lip, Callum!”

“Whoa, what’s with the hostility?” Rayla asked, “We haven’t given anything away.”

Ezran sighed and threw his sugary treat back into his back. “Oh, great! Now I know everything. I don’t even need to see it anymore.”

“There is no way you could have learned anything about the episode from what we just said,” Soren said, flopping on the opposite side of the couch while chewing on his cream cheese-filled donut.

“Oh really, sweet cheeks? Claudia said she loved the episode. She also has a history of liking violence and deception. Which means the main character’s son must have been killed by his evil cousin after their attempts to over through the kingdom went a afoul.”

Claudia, who was chewing on her dark chocolate coffee donut froze and her eyes widened like dinner plates and she stopped mid-chew, her left cheek all puffed up.

“Callum hasn’t had a good thing to say about the show since episode six when the court jester fell off the table while making fun of the king.”

Callum chuckled, “Okay, that was pretty funny.”

“This shows that Callum has a preference for slapstick humor which means that the fat friar must have fallen off his horse while delivering a sermon when sneaking into the town pub.”

Just like Claudia, Callum also froze, him and Rayla exchanging stunned expressions at Ezran’s freakishly accurate synopsis.

“This kid makes Sherlock Holmes look like Lindsey Lohan,” Rayla said. She shrieked when Ezran suddenly popped out from behind the couch, staring at her with an almost psychotic stare.

“Oh, I’m not finished, scaly lady.” Ezran then pointed his finger at Rayla’s nose, keeping it there as he continued, “You said nothing’s been given away, but then you looked down at your feet, which means that the queen must have written a letter to the rival warlords to form a secret alliance. I thought the letter was written in the morning but then I remembered that you had blinked twice inclining the letter was written at _night!_ ”

By the time he was finished, the tip of Ezran’s nose was now touching the tip of Rayla’s, who was too stunned to even more, or blink. The room feels into silence, only to be broken by Soren.

“I’ve seen the episode three times and you know more than I do.”

Ezran regained his composure and pulled away from an uncomfortable Rayla. “Well fortunately I haven’t figured out the ending yet.”

The doors opened and Nyx walked in. “Morning, kiddies.”

“Oooooh, great!” Ezran shouted in frustration, “So the king dies! Thanks a lot, Nyx!”

“What? No, the king didn’t die.”

“Oh, good.” Ezran breathed a sigh of relief.

“The prince did.”

Ezran stood still, sucking in his lips and his eyes staring straight at nothing specific. His tiny fingers curling inwards to form tiny, adorable fists.

“Fuuuuudge!”

The scene and everyone else suddenly turns black and white and remain frozen in place. All but Soren, who got up from his spot on the couch and was still in color. He holds his hands behind his back and addresses the audience.

“Hello, my name is Soren. You’re probably wondering why this was just some random Studio C parody skit than the actual chapter. Well, MaggiesHeartLove wanted to give you all a little something to laugh at before getting into the nitty-gritty.

“First of all, chapter 20 is taking it’s time being edited, though how much time it will take is still unclear. Real-life just gets in the way at times but she assures you that the wait will be worth it. I can’t spoil anything but what I can say is that you better still have your spooky hats on because this chapter is going to leave you wanting to sleep with the lights on. I know it did that to me.

“Aside from that, Maggie also choose to take the previous week off of DragonHeart to focus on reworking the first chapter of her original fantasy series _Flame and Sword_. Or as I like to call it; A dragon shifter-Arthurian fanfic without the horniness or copyright infringement. Thank God for public domain material.

“She wasn’t quite satisfied with how the first attempt turned. Feeling like there was too much emphasis on exposition rather than character. The new Chapter 1-I am Morgen is much more character-driven with only bite-size portions of backstory sprinkled in. If you wish to show your support for this original story it’s available on [inkitt.com](http://inkitt.com), [FictionPress.net](http://FictionPress.net), and Wattpad. The links will be in the description below.

“Lastly, Maggies has also been preoccupied with a new book she recently purchased from Amazon. _The Legend of Holly Clause_ by Brittney Ryan. Printed in 2004, it’s a fantastical story about the daughter of Santa Clause and her quest to break an evil curse placed upon her frozen heart.

“Insert _Frozen_ joke here.”

“The book arrived no more than four days ago and she’s already started on chapter twelve. The story has twenty-three-chapters by the way. It is _that_ good. It’s got magic, adventure, a strong female heroine, cute animal sidekicks, all wrapped up in the wholesome magic of Christmas.

“In short, chapter 20 is coming, chapter 21 is in the works, as is chapter 2 of _Flame and Sword_ , and printed books are twenty percent better than e-books. That’s not my opinion, I’m just reading off of what Maggie paid me to say.”

“I’m Soren and this has been—”

“ ** _HOLD THE QUIZNACKING PHONE!!_** ”

Lance from _Voltron Legendary Defender_ barges into the scene, fuming mad. “What do you think you’re doing, Blondie?! This used to me my skit!”

“You’re past your prime, old-timer. Let the new generation take the stage.”

“Why you little!” Lance pulls out his bayard which changes into his rifle and starts shooting at Soren while he runs away screaming like a little girl. They run back and forth but then Lance stops in front of the screen and smiles.

“Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day. Peace!” Lance does a peace sign then starts chasing Soren again. Meanwhile, the rest of the DragonHeart cast watch while chewing on popcorn as Soren runs for his life, dodging the laser strikes.

“We’ll feel guilty about this tomorrow,” Claudia said, passing a soda to Ezran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.wattpad.com/story/239724594-flame-and-sword-an-arthurian-retelling  
> https://www.inkitt.com/stories/fantasy/582900  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/26142739


	21. Chapter 21

The group carried the frostbitten Soren up the mountain until they found a cave. They set up a fire, with Claudia using some leftover spices from her bag to increase the flames. Soren, now without his armor, was wrapped in a woolen blanket and Claudia’s cloak. The long black and white shirt he wore underneath had claw marks and torn edges, with one short-sleeve ripped off completely. The emblem of Katolis was also slashed right down the middle, which only served as a tragic reminder of how Soren, once again, had failed at his duty.

His sword was placed on the ground next to him, the dried blood of the vodniks forming an almost vine-like pattern. For five years he had held that sword and not once had a drop of blood landed on the reflective steel surface until today. And it wasn’t even Soren’s doing, but Rayla’s. Looking down at the torn emblem, Soren finished what the vodniks started and tore the symbol further apart until he couldn’t make it out anymore. He felt bad enough already, he didn’t need a permanent reminder sowed on his chest any longer.

Night had fallen and the sky was awake with dancing colors. Callum had read about them; legend told that the spirits of the past often danced in the night sky in the highest mountain where it was the coldest. Callum wondered if his and Ezran’s mother was up there watching over them. He looked over his shoulder to where Claudia was tending to Soren, who laid on a flat rock.

Callum’s fingers were still shaking from the experience. The look of Claudia’s horror-stricken face was still clear in his mind. She looked a lot calmer now that her brother was alive but Callum could still detect an air of unrest stirring within her. Callum couldn’t blame her. If it had been Ezran that had fallen into the ice, Callum would be on edge as well. He was grateful to the stars and the heavens that they all managed to survive.

Ezran stirred the ingredients Claudia had given him to mix into a brew that should help Soren’s sprained ankle while Rayla and Nyx went off to gather some food. It was nice and cool inside the cave, and with the fire, it kept the perfect balance of warm and cold to get them through the night.

Callum sat on the floor close to the fire as he sketched in his notebook, the sound of the charcoal scratching the surface of the paper always calmed his nerves. When Ezran was done mixing the ingredients, he rubbed the mixture on Soren’s ankle with great care.

The knight wrinkled his nose at the stench. “Ugh, does it have to smell like that?” Soren whined.

“If you want to walk again, yes.” Claudia schooled him. Callum snickered under his breath, admiring how she sounded so much like a mother. Soren covered his face with the blanket, groaning like a child.

Claudia meanwhile went through her bag again and her spirits dropped further when she saw the minimal amount of supplies she had left. “Okay, from here on out, make sure nobody else gets hurt.” She turned her bag upside-down and the remaining items fell to the floor. “All the items I have for healing are in short supply. Very short supply.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Rayla and Nyx will be back soon,” Callum reassured her. “Maybe they can bring something for you to use.”

Suddenly, Soren let out a loud sneeze and snot dripped from his nose and Evie handed him a hankie with her tail that he blew on it. “Thanks, Evie.” He said, his nose was still pretty stuffed up.

“You would get better faster if you sat closer to the fire and bundled up,” Ezran said, in a similar manner to Claudia.

“Alright, alright,” Soren sniffed and sat closer to the flames, warming his palms then rubbing them together and blew on them. He never felt so cold in his life. “Have I mentioned how much I _hate_ snow?”

“About twenty-seven times, but who’s counting?” Callum said before Soren shot the prince a glare and rolled his eyes when he just went back to his drawings again. He never went anywhere without his sketchbook, and even now after Soren was near death he still found an excuse to doodle something.

“What are you drawing?” Ezran looked over Callum’s shoulder, careful not to step on Zym’s tail. The alicorn was snuggled up next to the half-sylph, poking his head up when he heard Ezran coming while Bait was also sat beside Zym.

Callum wasn't drawing something current like he normally did but instead a memory. Drawing his four-year-old self, jumping and laughing around a tall pole with ribbons attached to it. He was holding one while two other kids ran ahead of him, each holding a ribbon of their own. One of them was a girl with a short messy bob-cut wearing a flower crown, and the other was a boy, a head taller than the other two, with his clothes and mouth covered in some kind of smudged food and bits of crumbs still sticking to his shirt. The three looked so happy and carefree.

Claudia sat beside Callum, nudging against his wing. “Hey, it’s little us! Oh, look at whittle chubby Sore-Bear.”

Soren’s interest peaked, wondering what Callum was drawing. He wiped away more snot from his nose and looked at the drawing for himself. As always, Callum was able to masterfully capture their faces as though he held the power to turn back the hands of time. Soren was a bit chubbier back then, his cheeks were rounder as were his cheekbones.

“Hey, I remember that. That was Callum’s first Pascal Festival in Katolis.”

“I don’t remember that,” Ezran said.

“It was before you were born.” Callum explained, “Mom and I had recently moved into the castle.”

“Oh, you were so cute back then with your chubby, red whittle cheeks!” Claudia cooed as she pinched the prince’s cheeks before Callum pulled away and rubbed the spot she pinched.

“Ouch! Thanks. I think.”

Soren released a scoffed laugh, “And of course you draw me with the pie stains.” He pointed to the highly detailed illustration. The drawing of his younger self was running around with very visible chunks of pie attached to his clothes and face.

“Wow, even back then Soren liked to eat,” Ezran said.

“Uh, for your information, that was from when I entered the pie-eating contest,” Soren said proudly, puffing up his chest.

“Did you win?”

“Nope.” Callum shook his head, smiling in amusement. “He puked at the last minute. There was blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, all the berries just spewing everywhere.”

Claudia laughed and pointed at the drawing of the pie stains all over him. “This was from the pie he ate _after_ the contest.”

“And that was also the day he ruined pies for me,” Callum said, slamming his notebook closed.

“I was hungry again after I threw up,” Soren said defensively. Callum and Claudia laughed and Soren didn’t feel offended. He made them laugh a lot that day, with his messy eating, almost winning the pie-eating contest, right down to him running around the Pascal pole with a ribbon in hand. Now he remembered why he didn’t bother to wipe that stuff off afterward: because it made Claudia and Callum laugh.

“Callum, I had no idea you and Soren used to get along,” Ezran said casually.

Hearing this made Soren pull back, his face edged with guilt.

“Yeah. We did.” Callum sighed, feeling an awkward change in mood at Ezran’s observation. “Before you were born Soren and Claudia were the closest thing I had to siblings.”

Claudia gently took the book from Callum’s hands and opened it to where he placed the charcoal pencil, smiling dreamingly at the drawing. “We used to have a lot of fun, didn’t we?”

Soren stood there staring at the drawing and then at Callum and Claudia. The four remained silent. The only sound was the whispering of the winds outside and the crackling of firewood. Ezran scratched his left arm, though he didn’t have an itch. He was worried he may have said something that stirred up old memories, memories they weren’t ready to discuss just yet. He was aware that Callum and Claudia had managed to rekindle their somewhat strained friendship, but Soren was... well...

Soren cleared his throat in the hopes of snuffing out the awkwardness that had takenover. “Yeah, well I, um... I’m just gonna sit by the fire.” Soren crunched down, rubbed his hands, and hovered them close to the flames, trying to distract himself by staring at the yellow and orange hues. 

Right then they heard the sound of wingbeats as Rayla and Nyx arrived, shaking the snow off of their wings and hair. Nyx used her tail to dust off the remaining flakes off of Rayla’s legs. Her right sleeve was torn off thanks to the vodniks, and her cut was bandaged thanks to Claudia.

“Aww, how cute.” Rayla loomed over Callum’s shoulder to see what he was drawing. “Is that you guys?”

“Yeah, but the cutest one is me. Obviously.” Claudia said smugly, and Callum smacked her in the face with his wing. The three of them laughed. 

“Good news, we brought food!” Rayla announced, unfolded her bag to reveal delicious moon berries. Callum, Ezran, Soren, and Claudia started to chow down almost instantly. They had forgotten how good these berries tasted.

“Or, if you want some meat on your bones I caught some big, fat juicy critters.” Nyx unfolded her bag to reveal... dead winter mice. One of which still had its back leg twitching. Rayla, Claudia, Soren, and Ezran recoiled in disgust.

“Yeah, I’ll pass,” Claudia said.

“Ditto,” Ezran said.

“Rats go straight to my hips.” Soren joked.

Nyx shrugged. “Suit yourselves.” She offered one to Rayla. “Want one, princess? The blood’s still fresh.”

Rayla pushed Nyx’s hand away, cringing at the sight of the dead rodent, “I quit mice a long time ago. Thanks anyway,” Rayla jumped back when Evie flew by and snatched the mouse from Nyx’s waiting hand. The snake sprite devoured the rodent and Zym, due to having some bird-like attributes, also ate the mice.

It wasn’t unexpected but all eyes landed on Callum when they heard a loud munching. The prince’s left cheek was puffed up and one of the mice’s tail was dangling from his mouth. He slurped it into his mouth and swallowed. He had no idea he could swallow a mouse whole. He belched loudly and covered his mouth in embarrassment. “Pardon.”

Rayla leaned in and whispered, “Little tip: The berries help with rodent breath.”

Hearing this, Callum proceeded to eat more berries, now and again checking his breath to make sure he couldn’t detect the smell of rodents.

Soren swallowed a couple of berries before chewing when he saw Nyx beside him. “And I found something for you.” She reached for her pocket and pulled out two lime-green berries. “They’re called Bogie Berries. Ancient Xadian cure for the common sniffles.”

Soren accepted them and proceeded to open his mouth until Nyx stopped him with a chuckle, “Uh, no. You don’t eat them. To cure a stuffy nose you’ve got to stuff them _up_ your nose.”

Soren stared questionably at the berries in hand, “This isn’t some sick joke where after I stuff them up to my nose they’re gonna explode, is it?”

Nyx chuckled while shaking her head. “No. Besides, I couldn’t find any exploding berries up here.” Soren stared at her in surprise. “I’m kidding!” She laughed, and Soren just chuckled awkwardly.

Rayla rubbed her wounded arm. “Does it hurt?” Callum asked on noticing it.

“A little. I’ll be okay. Vodnik scratches aren’t lethal.”

“Good, because I used up all of my healing ingredients,” Claudia said, showing her half-empty bag. She still had some items left, but none of them would work for healing, and she dare not attempt to test them while out in the wilderness where there wasn’t a hospital around for miles.

“Well, you’re in luck. While we’re out there Nyx and I saw smoke not too far from here. And where there’s smoke—”

“There’s a town!” Ezran concluded.

“A ‘own? ‘ay up ‘ere?” Soren said, his voice sounding even more stuffed up now that he had the bogie berries sticking out of his nostrils.

“Hey, it’s better than nothing,” Rayla said. “We’ll stop by there tomorrow, get some more supplies and be on our way.”

It sounded like a reasonable plan although it was still strange to learn that a town could thrive in these conditions, it was their safest bet right now. After everyone had eaten and prepared for a good night's sleep with the fire still going to keep them from freezing in the cold, Rayla approached Claudia as she prepared her spot for the night.

“Hey,” Rayla greeted, “How are you doing?”

“I’m okay,” Claudia replied softly, judging her legs close. “Still pretty shaken up.”

Rayla sat beside her, wrapping a comforting arm around her friend’s shoulder and pulled her in and in return, Claudia lay her head on Rayla’s shoulder. “He’s going to be okay. It’s gonna take a lot more than a few fish people and a sprained ankle to slow him down.”

“I know. Thanks for saving him.” Claudia sat up straight to face her friend. “Listen, I’m sorry for what I said before. I was delusional, the high altitude was messing with my head and—“

“Claudia. If something is bothering you, you know you can tell me. Right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” Deep in her heart, Claudia knew this was true. Rayla has always been such a good friend and here she was wrestling with the guilt of all the faeries she had mutilated and squashed over the years. She still wasn’t sure how to bring up the topic without bringing up her nightmares. Or, maybe she could. It was worth a shot.

The mage took a deep breath before speaking. “Actually, Ray, can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“When we first met, did you think I was... evil?”

Rayla grimaced. She hated herself for judging Claudia too quickly the day she came to live in the castle, but as their bond grew she saw more and more of Claudia the person and less of that looming darkness that followed her like a shadow she was blissfully unaware of. Even now, Rayla could still see the scars that remained from her past, but she didn’t hold it against her. Come to think of it, they hadn’t talked about it much since they left Katolis, if at all.

“Well, you did blow in my face with the bone of a Pegasus,” Rayla said, feeling a little saddened seeing the way Claudia cringed in guilt. “But, I wouldn’t say I thought of you as ‘evil’ per say. More like...” Rayla grimaced, “Misguided, mostly. Maybe just... a tad ignorant, probably.” She covered her face with her hand. “No wait, that sounded worse out loud.”

“No, no. That sounds about right.” Claudia said in a melancholy tone. “I know I did a lot of terrible things in the past but, I don’t think I ever directly apologized for it.”

“Claudia, you don’t have to—“

“No, I do. Ray, I...” Claudia sucked in her lips. Even saying it out loud was painful. “I killed... so many of your people.” Her voice cracked and tears pooled in her eyes. “And the guilt has been eating me up inside ever since we left Katolis. I thought by focusing on the mission that I could somehow make up for all that I have done. To prove that I’ve changed, that I _want_ to change.”

“Claudia, you don’t have to prove _anything_.” Rayla opened her arms and pulled Claudia into a hug, Claudia sobbed so much she could feel her skin vibrate and the tingling in her fingertips prevented her from feeling the fabric of her friend’s clothes. “If anything _I’m_ the one who should be apologizing. I dragged you into this whole thing and your dad—”

“No, please, don’t be sorry. I don’t regret my decision to come with you.” After the hug ended, Evie wiped Claudia’s tears with her tail and Rayla pulled out a handkerchief from Claudia’s bag for her to use. “I just wanted to let you know. And, even if it doesn’t change anything, I’m sorry on behalf of my father and every other dark mage before us.”

“It’s okay. I know what it feels like to feel ashamed over something you did. But if Callum can forgive me and my father, then I can most certainly forgive you. Which I already have.” Rayla said while Evie curled around Claudia’s shoulder, using her butterfly wing to clean her friend’s face. “And Evie forgives you too. Right?”

The snake sprite nodded in response and snuggled her face against Claudia’s cheek. She didn’t blame Claudia. If anything she had done all she could to avenge her siblings. It was more than she could ask for.

All of the crying woke Soren as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. “Hey, what’s going on.” His brotherly senses were on high alert whenever he heard Claudia crying. “What happened? Was it another nightmare?”

Claudia shook her head. “No. Just... girl talk.”

“Oh. I thought it was something serious. Well, _more_ serious.”

The girls rolled their eyes at his comment and Claudia took a deep breath. “I’m okay, Soren.”

“Listen, I know you’re too old for it but, if you want you can sleep next to me and I can sing you mom’s song.”

Claudia looked to Rayla, who nodded. The mage smiled at her brother. “I’d like that.”

“Try and get some sleep this time. That’s an order.” Rayla said sternly while waving her finger in Claudia’s face.

“Yes, your highness.” Claudia laughed. Rayla chuckled and allowed Claudia to snuggle close to her big brother, Soren wrapping his blanket around his sister. Rayla smiled and curled up back in her spot alongside Callum and Ezran. She smiled fondly as she listened to Soren humming a soft tune while rubbing Claudia’s back. It’s been years since the dark haired teen had heard her mother’s song. Whenever she was tense or frightened, her song always managed to calm her.

_When I am down_

_And, oh my soul, so weary_

_When troubles come_

_And my heart burdened be_

_Then I am still and wait here in the silence_

_Until you come and sit awhile with me_

_You raise me up_

_So I can stand on mountains_

_You raise me up_

_To walk on stormy seas_

_I am strong_

_When I am on your shoulders_

_You raise me up_

_To more than I can be_

Soren used to hum this song for Claudia every night when they learned of their mother’s passing. He always suspected that was the day their father started to become more distant, and even now Soren couldn’t help but feel that maybe Claudia blamed herself a little. That she regretted not going with their mother instead of staying behind. Soren wasn’t sure how different things could have had been if they had chosen differently back then. Would their mother still be alive? Would they still have met Callum and Ezran, or Rayla? Would the five of them have still become friends?

Soren decided not to dwell on it, the past was in the past; all that mattered now was returning Rayla and her father’s disembodied glowing heart to Xadia and finally putting an end to this pointless war. He eventually heard a faint snore coming from Claudia’s half-opened mouth and he smiled.

“Mom would be proud of you, Clauds.” He whispered, closing his eyes. In a few moments, sleep welcomed him.

.........................

_Claudia found herself in a meadow outside of her childhood cottage. She was picking flowers with Evie as tiny butterflies fluttered about. Evie managed to snatch a few with her mouth as a midday snack while Claudia rolled her eyes and continued picking. She reached for a rose but reeled back when it turned black and withered away while behind her the cottage and the garden vanished, as were all the flowers, including the ones she had been holding._

_This time, she didn’t react in fear of her dark self, who she knew was standing behind her._

_“ **That’s cute. Did you really think that a song and a few heartfelt words would be enough to get rid of me?** ”_

_“I don’t need to listen to you, you have no power over me here!” Her voice was so loud that it shook the dream word. Even her dark self looked startled. “You can say whatever you want; I would rather take my brother’s place in that icy lake than ever touch dark magic again!”_

_“ **You really think it will matter. Don’t you get it? You can’t just get rid of me. I’m not a mental manifestation of your guilt, Claudia. I’m every spell you have ever cast. The remains of every fae you squashed with your bare hands. I am the dark magic that courses through your veins every minute of every hour, awake or asleep. I’m as real as they come. A few good deeds can never make me disappear. To get rid of me you would have to... well,”** she chuckled, **“Is to get rid of yourself entirely. This is the price for dark magic. Always have been, always will be.** ”_

_Claudia was stunned. What more could she say? There was no escaping her, was there? This was the consequence of her past actions. Her father’s wish was fulfilled, after all, Claudia now had magic flowing through her veins, and it was the kind of magic that fed on death. Claudia broke down in tears and her dark self snickered._

_“ **Don’t feel so bad. You’ll realize this is a good thing. They always do.** ”_

................

Claudia opened her eyes for a moment to see that Soren and everyone else was asleep, the fire illuminated the cave in a warm glow. Her heart was racing and there was no way she was going to get any sleep. “I’m sorry, Ray,” she whispered.

She wiggled out of the blanket and saw Nyx laying her head on Soren’s lap. For all of the horrible things she just witnessed, this was the one thing that brought her just a little bit of joy. The SkyWing looked so peaceful, and she knew her brother was smiling in his sleep, whether he was aware of Nyx’s presence or not didn’t matter. At least her brother was alive and surrounded by people who loved him.

Carefully, she slipped away and allowed the two to sleep side by side. Evie curled around Claudia’s lap but the mage scooped up the snake sprite and gently placed her next to Zym’s wing. The alicorn woke up confused to see the two sleeping separately for the first time and Evie hissed sadly at being left but Claudia forced herself to ignore her and lay down against the cave wall, twirling a strand of hair around her finger nervously.

Claudia made no mistake with the hatred she felt towards dark magic. The hate she felt towards her father for indoctrinating her into a practice that was slowly killing them both from the inside. But most of all, she hated herself for choosing it over her better judgment.

“That’s all black magic is. Death!” Rayla was right. She was right then and she was right, now. Dark magic causes nothing but death, both physical and spiritual. When she saw her father’s distorted face and black eyes, it was like looking at a rotting corpse, and now Claudia truly did feel like a part of her was slowly rotting from the inside out as well. 

She thought she could break free from dark magic, that simply quitting would be enough. But the damage was already done. The darkness was in her body, in her soul. There was no way of escaping it, unless...

Claudia looked behind her, seeing her friends, safe and together. When she heard Ezran moan in his sleep and snuggle closer to Rayla, her wing draped over his torso like a blanket, while she was, as per usual, snuggled next to Callum, their wings wrapped around each other. She studied every detail; the feathers on Callum’s wings, and counted a few of the diamond-like scales sprinkled across Rayla’s membranes. There was so much magic stored in their feathers and scales alone, every inch of a fae, big or small, contained the magic that could be harnessed and bent to one’s will with the right incantation and mixture.

If her father had known of their fae nature before, she wondered if he would have done to them what he did to Evie’s family had the opportunity ever struck. It broke her heart to pieces just thinking about it. Claudia would rather use her own body parts than lay a finger on her friends. They were all she had now.

As Claudia rubbed her arms she knew that sleep would never come so she stared out into the cave as the snow gently fell. The clouds hid the moon’s glow but then Claudia felt a strange warmth coming from behind her. She turned and noticed the top of Ezran’s backpack was pulled up and dim rays of blue light were shining through. Curiosity pulled her towards the bag and she pulled out the box containing the dragon heart. She could hear the beating pulse and the heart was glowing even brighter than normal so carefully, she opened the box.

It didn’t look much like a living heart but it sparkled like a sapphire or opal gemstone with ripples of color dancing in every direction constantly. Claudia couldn’t take her eyes off of it, wondering if in some way, a piece of the dragon king was still here, aware of what was happening. Did he know of their mission? Could he see what Claudia was feeling? Did the beating indicate it was still conscious?

Claudia’s chest felt heavy, like a stone was being pressed against her own heart. This heart was a living reminder of the bad blood between the two sides, but it also carried with it great hope for the future. The drawing Rayla showed her, about how life used to be before the war, before dark magic, she wanted to believe it was possible. Even now, this was all she ever wanted.

Her father was a traitor. Her mother was gone. These guys were the only family she had left to fight for. As she held the box close to her chest she started to sob.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She was sorry she couldn’t get rid of this darkness inside of her. She was sorry for all the lives she had taken. She was sorry for ever once listening to her father. She was sorry for... everything. Everything she had done and for everything she hadn’t done.

She laid her head back against the cave wall, listening to the soothing pulse of the heart. Her eyelids started to grow heavy and in a couple of minutes her head tilted to the side, her grip on the box loosening but it remained anchored on her lap. She didn’t see or hear her dark self all night. All she heard was the sweet sound of birds chirping in spring, the smell of flowers in an open field, the buzzing of bees, and the wingbeats of hummingbirds as they sucked on the sweet nectar of the flowers.

(~)

The next morning, Claudia woke to the feeling of the sun’s rays on her cheek. She squinted and shielded her eyes until they adjusted before yawning and stretched, then gasped when she saw the open box of the dragon heart on her lap. The lid had closed sometime during the night so she quickly opened it to make sure the heart was okay. To her relief, the item still glowed just as brightly as it did the night she first saw it inside her father’s secret underground workshop. Carefully she tucked the box back into Ezran’s backpack before Evie slithered up her arm and Claudia booped her nose with a small smile.

Nobody else was awake yet, save for Zym and Bait, the two pets looking up at Claudia with worried eyes. The mage felt touched by their concern and returned the favor. For Zym, she ran her fingers through his mane and kissed his nose. For Bait, it was a belly rub. He may be a grumpy glow toad but he was a sucker when it came to belly rubs.

Claudia felt Bait’s stomach rumble and realized she was famished too, they had already eaten the berries from last night, and seeing the weather was a tad warmer, Evie wouldn’t freeze if she stayed out too long so Claudia asked the snake sprite to help locate the place where Rayla and Nyx found the berries.

Using her connection to the earth, while Evie snuggled against Zym’s warm mane, and using his keen sense of smell, the two found the bush in no time. Some of the leaves were dripping with snow and melting ice, but the berries looked ripe and juicy with a lush vibrant red. Claudia picked as many as she could, popping one or two in her mouth before returning to the cave.

Inside, Soren stirred and yawned, his blanket rolling off. He felt something heavy against his lap and smiled when he imagined it was Nyx... then shortly after he froze in panic when he realized it was _Nyx!_

The SkyWing’s eyes fluttered open in the most adorable way, but then her large, round pupils quickly became slits and she jumped away from Soren, hissing like a snake whileSoren jumped back with a frightened squeal. The commotion woke up the others, Ezran jumped out of his spot snuggled next to Rayla and grabbed the nearest rock, holding it over his head ready to throw.

Callum started moving his arms around in a karate-like manner while Rayla took on a defensive stance with her claws out and hissing with her fangs showing. Even the ends of her silvery-white hair were sticking out like the hairs of an agitated cat.

Once they realized it was just Soren’s screaming and they saw Nyx hiding in the shadows of the cave, wings tucked in and her face was burning red, they all relaxed.

“What happened?” Rayla asked. From behind her, Callum noticed the rock in Ezran’s hand. The young prince smiled innocently and tossed the rock over his shoulder, hands behind his back and rocking back and forth on his heels and toes. Callum blinked and shook his head. It was too early to think about the fact that his little brother was ready to throw a rock at someone’s head.

“N-Nothing! Nothing happened! Why? What did you see?” Soren stuttered as he pulled the blanket over his torso as though he were trying to hide from shame. Ignoring the fact that he wasn’t even nude.

Rayla stared at Nyx, who looked like she wanted desperately to be sucked into the shadows. Also, she was blushing. Nyx rarely ever blushed.

“Hey, where are Bait and Zym?” Ezran asked, walking over to the spot where he last saw the pets sleeping the night before.

“I don’t see Evie or Claudia either,” Callum said.

“Oh no, not this again!” Soren jumped up, tossing his blanket to the side, and pulled out his sword in a heroic fashion... only to cry out in agonizing pain a couple of seconds later. He dropped the sword and knelt to the ground. Nyx, being the closest to him, rushed to help him sit back down.

“Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Mother of Xadia, that hurts!” 

“Soren!” Claudia hurried inside, carrying an armful of berries wrapped in a white cloth. She tossed them aside and rushed to check on his ankle. “You need to keep your foot elevated.”

“I thought you were kidnapped by those fish-people or something?”

“I only went out to get some berries. Relax.” Claudia and Nyx helped Soren back down while Zym pulled the berries from where they had been dropped and unfolded the cloth with his teeth. Soren grimaced as Claudia carefully unwrapped his bandages and saw it was still a bit swollen, but he needed something to help with that. Sadly, all of Claudia’s medical supplies had run dry.

“You need thicker bandages and zephilian nectar to stop the swelling.” She searched her bag but found nothing. “And I just remembered I’m all out of ruby flower seeds.”

“We’ll see if we can find something in that town nearby, don’t worry,” Rayla suggested then grabbed Nyx’s staff, handing it to Soren. “In the meantime, you can use this.”

Nyx didn’t protest and allowed Soren to use her staff as a balance. The material was strong and sturdy, enough to support his weight despite the staff’s slim appearance.

Soren took a couple of steps, which came easy thanks to Nyx’s staff. With a knob in the center, Soren could elongate or shorten it to suit his height. He didn’t even realize it had this trick before. Nyx usually liked to keep it long for convenience, but it was still a pretty helpful trick.

“Wow, this is some quality work. What kind of iron is this? It’s so sleek but so sturdy.”

“My Uncle Aatish is a Jinn blacksmith,” Rayla said. “He made this staff for Nyx after she broke her last one in two.”

“Yeah, thanks a lot for that,” Nyx said sarcastically.

“In my defense, I was trying to apprehend you for stolen treasure.”

“Fair enough.”

“I didn’t know you had an uncle,” Claudia said.

“Uncle by marriage.”

“Your aunt is married to a jinn?” Callum asked with surprise.

Rayla nodded.

“Aww, that’s cute!” Ezran said.

Soren walked around the cave in a circle, testing out the staff. It felt great and it supported his muscular weight. “Nice. Hey, Ray, when we get to Xadia you think you can ask your uncle to hook me up with a new sword? Maybe a crossbow?”

Rayla chuckled, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Okay, slow down there, big shot.” Claudia laughed and pulled her brother back down. “There will be plenty of time to practice but first you need to eat something. The last thing we need is you fainting from low blood sugar until we reached the bottom of the mountain.”

Soren didn’t protest. He was so hungry the berries were looking pretty mouth watering right now. Hopefully, once they reached the town they would be able to eat something meatier. While everyone else ate, Rayla studied Claudia’s appearance. She looked well-rested this time around. No bags under her eyes, no jittery hand gestures, she wasn’t talking at break-neck speed, and she was smiling.

“You’re in a better mood this morning.” Said the dragon princess.

Claudia nodded. “Yeah. You were right, all I needed was a good night's sleep. By the way, I saw the rising smoke while I was out. The town’s only a short walk from here.”

“Music to my ears,” Soren said, dramatically throwing his head back. After wandering through the wilderness for what felt like a lifetime, he was so relieved to finally get a taste of civilization again. Even if it was up on a snowy mountain, so long as they had roofs and stoves and cooked meat he’d crawl there on his arms and knees if he had to.

“When we get there can we see if they have a pub?” Ezran asked, eyes glimmering with excitement. Soren and Callum both spit out the berries they were eating and everyone stared at Ezran with wide eyes. The young prince shrugged. “What? I’ve always wanted to see one. All the best stories have the heroes stopping at a pub.”

“We’re not going to a pub,” Callum said firmly.

“But—“

“Listen to your brother!” Soren said quickly then continued eating.

Nyx couldn’t resist laughing. “This kid’s growing on me.”

(~)

With their bellies full, and the last remaining embers of the fire put out, the group marched onwards to the nearby town. Claudia and Nyx stayed by Soren’s side, which he found to be a bit smothering, mostly on his sister’s part. Though, it was nice to see that Nyx cared. Why wouldn’t she? She did save his life after all. Soren hadn’t forgotten the relief he felt when he saw her in the waters, with his vision and conciseness slipping in and out. She was awesome and brave, and smart. Soren shook his head before his mind drifted even further into deep thoughts about the SkyWing.

The step-prince’s so-called “advice” from yesterday kept swarming around his head like a stubborn storm cloud. Being this close to Nyx as they trailed down the mountain made Soren’s stomach feel like it was ready to turn inside out. The berries he ate somehow felt heavier than they should have, his face felt as warm as the campfire from the cave, and every few steps he found himself unable to pry his eyes away from looking at her. Counting the number of scales across her face, tracing her facial patterns with his mind, and taking in the way her hair color faded from black to teal and finally white. Or noticing the way her horns curved perfectly across the back of her head, and her wings which she spread out to shield him from the cold. This was a whole different side to Nyx that she, for one reason or another, wasn’t used to showing to others. A sweet, thoughtful side.

Soren quickly turned his eyes away when her mix-matched eyes stared back at him. His face turning redder than a tomato and his heart was beating rapidly. He never felt this nervous or restless when he was around Rayla. Come to think of it, when he compared how he was feeling towards Nyx and how he felt with Rayla when he first met her, he was baffled by just how different those feelings were. With Rayla, Soren was more focused on the idea of a pretty girl liking him, but ultimately the only real connection they ever had was one of good friends. Like a second sister.

But with Nyx, it was different. It didn’t make any sense, they hadn’t been traveling for very long but... Soren couldn’t help but like her. He wondered if maybe he liked him too, if not in an attractive way, then at least in a friend kind of way? She did save his life so, maybe she did care in some way. Soren mentally told himself to stop thinking about these things. Now was not the time for the probabilities of romancing a dragon.

Wow... that’s something Soren never imagined he’d ever wonder in his life. Going from wanting to slay a dragon to wanting to befriend one. What would his father think? He didn’t even want to think about what his father would do Nyx if he ever saw her again. He prayed it wouldn’t come to this. Dragons weren’t monsters, they were people, no different than himself or Claudia.

The group followed the smoke that rose into the sky, climbing over a snowy hill slope. Once they reached the other side they stopped. The smoke was still there, closer than ever. Rayla could smell the scent of burnt animal flesh from where she stood, but she also detected something else. It smelled like rotting flesh if it was left out in the frigid cold. Nestled in between a far off caldera and a forest of snow covered pine trees was a spiraling, snowy mist moving around like a python squeezing its prey.

Soren squinted and shielded his eyes from the morning sun. “Uh, where’s the town?”

“Is that a snowstorm?” Ezran asked, also squinting his eyes. Bait croaked in his arms.

Callum shook his head. “No. It’s not moving. I mean, it _is_ moving, technically, but it’s more like swirling around in place.” He spun his finger around to prove his point.

Rayla slid down the hill to get a closer look, ignoring her friends’ insistence she is careful, stopping right before the mist. It was much larger up close, as tall as the walls surrounding Katolis. Jumping over it wasn’t an option. She couldn’t even tell what she was looking at.

Everyone else joined her, with Nyx lifting Soren up and gently placing him back on the soft snow. The mist spun round and round and when examined closely they noticed faint violet tendrils spinning around like a thread being woven in and out of the fog. They also noticed patches of darkness pulsing in and out like dark flickering fireflies.

Rayla got an inch closer and her nostrils detected a horrid smell. The smell of death and decay overwhelmed her like she was standing in the middle of a battlefield surrounded by a sea of bloody bodies and rotting corpses. She gasped and pulled away, her body shivering, but not from the cold. Callum held her close and got a whiff of the mist. His pupils dilated and the feathers of his wings puffed up while Bait and Zym whimpered and hid behind the others and Evie hissed then hid away in Claudia’s near-empty bag.

Ezran tried claiming Zym down. “What’s wrong, boy?” The alicorn whinnied in fright and Ezran hugged his nose close to his cheek. “It’s okay, don’t be scared.”

“It’s dark magic,” Rayla said.

Nyx hissed when she smelt the mist. “Should have known. Foul stench!”

Claudia froze in place at Nyx’s reaction. More dark pulses popped in and out of the mist and the violent tendrils kept swirling around reminding Claudia of the purple veins that sprouted on her father’s body the night they left Katolis. The SkyWing was right, this was indeed the work of dark magic, but it was unlike any spell she had ever seen.

“Claudia, have you ever seen anything like his?” Soren asked.

Claudia shook her head. “No. I mean, dark magic is capable of doing a lot of… impressive stuff but, I’ve never even heard of something like this.” It sickened Claudia to say the word ‘impressive’ to describe dark magic. Even if she did know what type of spell was used to create this, she shuddered at the thought of needing to use those abominable methods ever again. She could practically smell her shadow self’s decaying stench breathing down her neck.

“Maybe we should keep moving,” Claudia suggested, overwhelmed by the desire to get as far away from this dark mist as possible.

Rayla studied the smoke rising into the clouds then sniffed the air. The smell of cooked food still lingered. “Why would there be a dark magical mist on a mountain for no reason?” She asked. “And where is that smoke coming from?”

Callum sniffed the air, “It’s faint but I think I detect a hint of... roasted chicken. Or maybe dead badgers? Either way, it smells kind of ashy.”

Rayla stepped closer to the mist, reaching out her hand but felt no solid surface, only the cold wind through her fingers. She boldly stepped through the mist, fighting back the smell of death. For a moment she could see the vague shapes of houses, shops, a road, and what appeared to be an empty wheel wagon. Her heightened hearing detected the sound of wailing, crying, and pleads for help, followed by the sounds of babies crying as though in agony. Suddenly, Rayla felt something hard and cold press up against her chest, then a powerful force pushed her out of the mist and into the snow. She slid on her back, her wings spread out and she saw her friends staring down at her in surprise and worry.

Callum pulled her back up. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“There are people in there. I heard them. I... I think they need help.”

“Are you sure? It could have been a trick of the wind or something,” Soren said. It was bad enough that he was in bad shape, he didn’t want to deal with the unknown and unpredictable forces of dark magic.

Callum stared at the gray clouds of smoke still rising into the air. “Hang on, I’m gonna check something out.” He spread his wings and flew up above the mist.

Once he reached the top he expected to see something like the tip of the rooftops or at the very least the chimney from where the smoke was coming from. Callum inhaled a great deal of oxygen and blew in the direction of where the smoke was coming from. The mist started to part and he could see the top of a chimney. Seeing his chance he swooped down to reach it but the mist quickly pulled back in just as he was close enough. He felt the magic grabbing him, pushing him out like all those times Soren would shove him to the ground for sport.

Callum waved his arms around, flapping his wings frantically. He crash-landed on the snow in front of everyone. Everyone loomed over him as he spat the snow out of his mouth.

“Rayla was right! There’s a town trapped inside! And, I think I know a way for us to get through.” He said excitedly as Rayla and Nyx helped him back up.

“How?” Rayla asked.

“The smoke can break through the mist because it’s formless, lighter than air. Wind is the only thing that can get in and out. Between me and Nyx, we can generate enough wind power to part the mist and rush inside before it closes.”

“What did I tell you? Cute _and_ smart.” Rayla nudged Nyx while smiling proudly at her boyfriend’s cleverness.   


Nyx rolled her eyes. “Wipe your mouth, you’re drooling.” She teased, earning her another shove from the princess. “Alright. Let’s give it a whirl.” The two stood before the mist, side by side, wings spread out but then Nyx helped Callum with his stance. “Hang on. Your stance is off. Shoulders back, feet apart, elbows stretched, back slightly arched. How does that feel?”

“Great,” Callum said with a strained voice. Honestly, it was not that great. When Nyx did the pose it looked flawless and graceful, but when Callum did it, he looked like a duck trying to mimic a flamingo.

Rayla, Ezran, Soren, and Claudia covered their mouths to keep from laughing. Callum shot them an angry look and they all stopped, but Rayla and Claudia sucked in their lips. Ezran managed to sneak out a faint giggle.

“Deep breaths.” Nyx inhaled and Callum followed. They exhaled at the same time. “Listen to when and where the wind blows. Keep your eyes and ears locked on it, like you're stalking your prey.”

Callum was already good at feeling and detecting wind currents so he did just as Nyx instructed; he listened and heard the whistling of the wind. On instinct, he moved his arms, graceful like the wings of a swan. He didn’t even realize he and Nyx were moving in perfect sync, bending the wind like invisible ribbons with their wrists. The other stepped back as the wind picked up, sending flakes of snow rising into the sky. Callum and Nyx thrust their arms forward, unleashing the tornado straight through the mist. Just as Callum had hoped, a pathway was formed. From the other side, they could see the vague shape of a flat, stone-covered road, the outline of a cottage, and what appeared to be an empty wagon cart.

“Everybody inside!” Rayla shouted. Claudia grabbed Ezran by the hand while Rayla picked up Soren by the shoulders and flew right in while Zym, with Bait on his back, galloped behind them. Once they were safely on the other side, Callum and Nyx walked ahead, still controlling the tornado as they marched onwards.

“We can’t stop until we reach the other side!” Callum shouted to Nyx through the monstrous winds. “If we do, we’ll get thrown out!”

“Gotcha!” Nyx replied. Once they reached the other side they released the winds and the mist sealed away their opening. Nyx and Callum fell to their knees, breathing heavily. Ezran and Rayla rushed to their aid, helping them back up.

“Callum, you did it!” Ezran cheered as he helped his brother up and Rayla aided Nyx.

“Not bad, Sparky. You are a natural.” Nyx said, fixing her bangs as she straightened herself.

“Thanks. You’re not so bad a teacher.” Callum got his second wind and straightened himself and his wings. “Wow, who knew controlling wind currents could be such a workout.” He stretched and noticed the way his muscles were starting to flex.

“I’ll say,” Rayla said, also taking notice of Callum’s growing muscle, smiling flirtatiously with a finger underneath her chin.

Nyx rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue, “Get a room.”

Claudia then slapped her arm. “Don’t give them any ideas!”

“Um... guys.” Soren said as he tapped the end of Nyx’s staff on the snow-covered stone ground and everyone turned their attention to the town in front of them.

“Wow. You guys were right, there is a town here.” Claudia gasped while Evie poked her head out from inside her bag and hissed fearfully before slithering back inside.

“Yeah, there’s the town. But, where are the people?” Nyx asked, her wings tucked in behind her and her tail curled inwards while her ears twitched at the eerie silence of the town.

It was a quaint, rustic place with small houses and stone brick roads, the homes had an old timeless feel to them. Snow coated the rooftops and the side of the road, empty wagons and wheelbarrows were left unattended and many of the house doors appeared to be bolted and locked. But what was even stranger was that there was not a soul in sight.

“It’s so quiet you can hear a pin drop.” Ezran spotted a random metal pin on the ground, picked it up, and dropped it, creating a ‘ping’ sound. “Wow. It’s not just an expression.”

“Ray, are you sure you heard people coming from here?” Claudia asked.

“I think the screaming itself should have been a red flag,” Soren said.

“I swear on my mother’s emerald encrusted crown, I know I heard something,” Rayla said firmly. “Everyone, stay close.” She and together they marched forward, hoping to find any trace of life. As they walked through the deserted town, Zym sniffed out the place, looking behind barrels, dumpsters, and inside empty wagons.

“This looks a lot like the abandoned ghost town from that horror novel, Hollow Shades,” Ezran said as he walked close to Callum, who shielded him with one of his wings. “The story says that in ancient times, an evil king cursed the town because a prophet said his tyrannical reign would end once a righteous son was born in the village. So he had a dark mage curse the village so it would stay frozen in time, but—“

“Ez! Ex-nay on the arry-scay,” Callum muttered to him in a code, nodding to Nyx who was shivering, but seeing as she was a dragon with weather resilient scales, Callum concluded she wasn’t trembling from the cold.

When she noticed the princes staring, she marched ahead with a loud huff and hiss. She could fight massive fish and faerie hunters, but undead or stories of evil and restless spirits were some of the things that could ruffle her feathers in fear. That and possibly much larger, angrier dragons, like Siveth for example.

To the side, Claudia stooped next to a pickaxe laying on the side of a barrel and inspected it for a moment. “Look. The dirt on this is still fresh.”

Meanwhile Callum approached a random house and knocked on the door. “Hello? Anybody home?” He rubbed the frost off the window and peered inside to see that everything was intact; dishes were cleaned, chairs were in place, and kitchen utensils were spread out on the counter as though someone had just been using them.

He tried wiggling the handle but it was locked tight and then he noticed the shiny locks right above the handle. “These locks look brand new, and the kitchen is still a mess.”

“So if the town’s not deserted, then where is everybody?” Rayla asked but then her ears twitched at the sound of someone tripping on something nearby. That was when the group spotted a random man, dashing out from an alleyway. He didn’t even take notice of him.

“Maybe that guy can help.” Soren suggested.

“Let’s follow him.” Rayla told them and the group went after the man, with Soren receiving extra support from his sister. Callum and Rayla hid their wings underneath their matching cloaks, with Rayla pulling her hood further over her head to hide her scales and horns and Nyx simply shifted into a raven and perched herself on Claudia’s shoulder.

“Hey, check it out. The raven really brings the whole darkness together, doesn’t it.” Nyx said, tapping her claws on Claudia’s feathered shoulder pads. The mage rolled her eyes and shooed Nyx off of her so the SkyWing decided to land on Ezran’s shoulder instead. “Yikes. What’s her deal?” She asked on perching on the human.

“You know Claudia doesn’t like dark magic anymore.” Ezran pointed out.

“Oh...right.” Nyx hung her head in regret. She didn’t think her comment would strike a nerve.

One by more, they saw more and more people, all heading in the same direction. One woman almost bumped into Rayla and gave her a sharp quick apology before heading off. Why was everybody in such a rush? And why did that woman reek of perspiration? She sounds terrified. 

The new arrivals soon blended themselves amongst the people, staying close to each other, Callum holding Ezran’s hand with his left and Rayla’s with his right, their fingers knitted together. Soren leant against Claudia while Evie hid tucked away in the mage’s hair. They examined the people and noticed one peculiar detail.

Nobody looked happy to be here.

Some folks were crying as though they had just witnessed the death of a loved one. Others were frowning so hard that Rayla was half-sure they were frozen that way. And the rest just looked horrified, praying for this to be over soon.

“Not much of a turn out, is it?” Nyx whispered in Ezran’s ear. A random man jerked his head up at the sound and looked at the young boy curiously. Nyx gulped and let out an annoying ‘CAW’ sound to throw off the man’s suspicions. It seemed to work but Nyx made a mental note to keep her yapper shut.

They soon arrived at a town square, in the middle of which stood a tall bronze statue of a beautiful woman with a flowing regal gown and hair so long it reached past her ankles as it spun around her body like an aura of magic. In the statue's hand she held a scepter high above her head and the statue itself was so tall that it hurt Callum’s neck just looking at it. Rayla noticed there was something oddly familiar about the head of the scepter; unlike Viren’s, which was decorated with amethyst jewels and styled with a diamond-shaped head, this one almost looked like a fist. And on the statue, around its neck a large, round medallion.

Claudia instantly recognized the woman to be a mage. A dark mage, to be more specific. She found it odd that there often appeared to be an unspoken “dress code” for dark mages. They were obligated to always wear dark and amongst malevolent looking clothing. Claudia never thought much of it before but, now that she was staring at another dark mage and looking down at her own wardrobe, she could understand why some people from the past had held false presumptions about her.

Maybe it was time for a wardrobe change.

As they stood in the crowd looking at this statue with everyone else, a man carrying a curved ram’s horn moved to stand before the statue with a distraught posture. His shoulders shook and he released a short sob before wiping away his tears and blew on the ram’s horn, unleashing an ear-piercing sound that was like torture for Rayla and Callum’s sensitive ears. Even Nyx almost shifted back into her draconic form, the sound was so unbearable.

Thankfully, it ended quickly and the three faes could hear again but then the ground started to shake beneath their feet, and the clouds that blocked the sun turned gray. Lightning crackled from above, and an elongated shadow came and went with every flash.

The people screamed as more thunder and lightning filled the sky and the gray clouds parted as a creature as large as a full grown dragon descended. It was a massive snake creature with the wings of a bat, spiraling across the roaring clouds and over the town.

The snake had scales as black as a starless night and a dark purple underbelly, several demon-like horns sprouted from its head, resembling a somewhat abomination of a crown. Rayla hissed under her breath as the creature landed near the statue and dark clouds spun around it like a tornado. As it did, the beast shrunk down to the size of a normal human and from the dark mist emerged a woman. A woman whose likeness matched that of the statue.

Rayla and Callum could smell the stench of death from where they stood. This woman was a dark mage, and she certainly looked the part. Her inhumanly long raven hair dragged behind her as she walked, her cheekbones were sharp and defined while her eyes were a ghostly gray-blue color, making her appear more inhuman. Her dress consisted of very dark green hues with vague hints of gold sprinkled throughout. The dress, in contrast to the regal one her statue wore, looked somewhat torn in an almost stylized manner and around her waist, she carried a sash filled with potion bottles and the remaining body parts of various animals. On her forehead, she wore the skeletal head of some kind of salamander in a twisted version of a tiara, and her nails were freakishly long, dark green with gold tips. Dark green and gold appeared to be her signature colors. Upon close examination, Rayla and Callum noticed the woman also had traces of black scales across her knuckles and cheekbones.

Around her neck was the same medallion as her statue and she held the exact same scepter in her hand. Rayla sniffed the air, hoping to catch a whiff of what the scepter was made out of. It appeared to be made up of a closed fist that was as black as her hair but it was hard for her to distinguish which animal it might have come from, although something felt oddly familiar about it.

The woman’s blood-red lips pursed upwards into a malicious smile and she licked the corner of her mouth with her long... fork tongue.

“Well, well. Your timing is becoming far more punctual, my fateful subjects. It only took you forty-one years. Blessed are you to have such a patient Queen.” She spoke in the most uncomfortably sultry voice that it made most of the team uncomfortable. Ezran gave Callum’s hand a reassuring squeeze when he noticed his unease and Rayla’s pupils almost changed into slits with a low growl vibrating against her throat.

Claudia just gulped. This was the first time she had met another dark mage besides her father. Once, she would have jumped with excitement to meet another but all Claudia wanted to do now was find a way to stop her legs from shaking and her heart to cease its tenacious thumping. Now as not the time to be a coward.

The dark mage thrusted her hands into the air, the torn design of her long sleeves resembling her bat-like wings. “Let the harvesting begin! Bring them forward.”

“The harvesting?” Calum whispered to Rayla. “What is that?”

“I think we’re about to find out,” Rayla whispered back. The people began to part, creating a pathway for a group of children. They ranged between the ages of ten and five, from the looks of it. They were all dressed in white robes, wearing crowns of blood red amaryllis flowers on their heads and necklaces of pomegranate seeds. Mothers and fathers wailed and screamed out their children’s names as they marched in a single file towards the dark mage and her statue.

Callum and Rayla shielded Ezran, hiding him underneath their cloaks, their wings touching his back. Soren’s heart dropped at the sight of these children, marching in a straight, organized line like soldiers heading into battle. On each of their faces he saw only despair and dread.

What was this woman going to do to these kids? His desire to jump and spring into action was shared with Callum and Rayla. One terrified little girl ran away from the group and rushed into the waiting arms of her parents as they stood in the crowd. The dark mage’s eyes narrowed at the rebellious little one then started glowing purple as did the stone of her medallion.

_**Em ot reh gnirb, erif snogard** _

Years of dark magic training had taught Claudia how to translate a dark spell whenever she heard it. The words were always the command spoken backwards. When she rearranged the words in her mind she gasped. She was using dragon’s fire!

With a flick of her wrist, the dark mage created a line of fire which she commanded to reach for the girl, wrap around her waist like a rope and yank her away from her parents. “Must we go through this every year?” The dark mage said, levitating the struggling child in the air. “Oh, don’t squirm, little one. Remember, you give yourselves to me, so that future generations can flourish.”

“YOU’RE A MONSTER!!” The child’s mother screamed as her husband tried to hold her back. Rayla was hoping he would lose his hold on her and the mother would give this dark mage a piece of her mind.

The fire rope brought the child straight into the dark mage grasp and she took hold of her by the neck as the purple flames returned to the medallion, “Oh, don’t worry, my dear. I need you alive for this.” She spoke with a hiss then threw her along with the others. She chanted another spell and the purple flames entrapped the children in a circle. They huddled together, screaming while shielding one another from the flames.

The fist on the dark mage’s scepter opened and Rayla finally recognized it. It was the claw of a dragon. Judging by its anatomy, it was that of a celestial dragon!

Celestial dragons were the rarest of dragons to find and hardest to kill. How this mage managed to find and kill one of Rayla’s own kind proved that she was not someone to underestimate.

The dark mage spun her scepter in a wide circular motions above her head and was about to recite her spell however she never got past the first word before a sudden blast of lightning blew the scepter right out of her hand.

The townsfolk gasped when two mysterious cloaked figures emerged from within their gathering and ran to the children, throwing their capes aside as Callum and Rayla spread open their wings, shielding the children from the dark mage.

“Go! Run!” Rayla ordered. The children obeyed her command, ignoring the fact that this girl had wings and horns and instead returned to their families. Callum meanwhile pointed his staff at the dark mage while Rayla extracted her claws.

The dark mage quickly grabbed her scepter from where it had fallen. “ How dare you—“ she gasped as she realized exactly who had interrupted her spell. “A dragon? And a sylph?”

Before she could say more, the dark mage was knocked down by a gust of wind, courtesy of Nyx who had shifted back into her draconic form, landing with flair and charisma, striking a confident pose with one hand on her hip.

“Make that two dragons! Plus the sylph.” She said boredly while pointing her thumb at Callum. The prince narrowed his eyes and grunted in annoyance. Soren drew his sword, grinding his teeth to fight the pain in his leg while Claudia kept Ezran hidden from the dark mage. After seeing whatever she had been planning to do to those kids, there was no telling what she would do to Ezran.

The townspeople began muttering and whispering amongst themselves as the three stood between them and their Queen.

“Who are they?”

“How did they get through the mist?”

“Is that really a dragon?”

“Where did they come from?”

The dark mage thrusted her hands into the air and shouted, “SILENCE!!” At her command, the entire town became mute. Not even the sky made a sound or the rolling of a small pebble. “But that is a very valid question; how did you manage to penetrate my mist?”

“I think the better question would be, what were you doing to these kids?” Rayla demanded to know while Callum, Soren and Nyx pointed their respected weapons at the witch.

“These people are my subjects and I am their sole, and rightful queen. See the big statue here?” The mage pointed to said statue and then to herself, batting her long eyelashes like she was a flirty teenage girl. “Quite a likeness, don’t you think?”

“Trust me, lady, you are no queen.” Soren said, tightening his grip on his sword.

“Oh? Let’s see what the people have to say about that.” The dark mage turned to the townsfolk and tapped the ground with the end of her staff. With regret in their eyes, the townspeople fell to their knees. Even the mother from before was forced to kneel, assisted by her husband, if only to be spared from the mage’s wrath.

“All hail Queen Lamia! Long live the queen!” The people chanted.

Queen Lamia turned to the group and smiled smugly. “See? The people have spoken.”

“I don’t know what twisted dark magic you put on this town but it ends today,” Rayla said. This crazy lady called herself their “queen”, but it was clear that nobody thought of her that way. She was governing these people through fear and manipulation.

“You have no powers here, little lizard.” The corner of Lamia’s mouth turned upwards in a sinister smirk. “But I believe I know how you can make it up to me,” She said then began to chant. “ _ **Nekawa walc s’nogard,**_ ”

At the command, the dragon’s claw in her scepter sprung to life and flew out of the base it was attached to and flew through the air, scratching Rayla, Callum, Nyx and Soren’s arms in a split second. The two dragons hissed and Callum released what sounded like the call of an eagle while the dragon’s claw returned to the dark mage, the tips now crimson red over the black.

Seeing this, Soren decided to charge at the witch but then froze in place. “Uh, why can’t I move?”

Nyx grunted, trying to move her arms but she was trapped too. “Me neither.”

“None of us can!” Callum said, unable to move his wings or even his fingers.

“What did you do?!” Rayla roared.

Lamia ignored her and addressed the people. “Fortunes smiles upon you, today my subjects. For today, in the place of your snot-nosed brats, the fates have brought the souls of two dragons, a sky fae and a handsome knight.”

“Oh, you think I’m handsome?” Soren picked up on, pleased.

“Really?” Callum rolled his eyes.

Zym pulled on Ezran’s shirt to keep him from foolishly jumping into battle, while Claudia reached into her bag and searched for her hydra whip with shaking hands.

In front of them, the self proclaimed queen mage began to recite another spell, her eyes glowing purple once more.

_**Yaced dna rehtiw** _

_**Ynitsed siht dne** _

_**Esrever kcolc ekam** _

_**Enim saw ecno athw kcab gnrib** _

The blood that dipped the dragon’s talons glowed purple and suddenly Rayla, Callum, Nyx and Soren were forced to their knees with their arms pressed against their sides. Their insides burned and their stomachs ached, their blood felt cold and heavy and although they fought with every ounce of their willpower, they could not close their mouths.

All their attempts were futile. When the dragon’s claw opened, the four of them had their mouths open as if singing to the sky and streams of pure white energy came out of their mouths, spiraling in mid air then being drawn into and absorbed into the dragon’s claw, the energy coursed through the scepter’s patterns before flowing into the dark mage’s skin.

Before their eyes, Lamia’s features became softer and rounder, her lips became fuller and her eyes more vibrant while her skin changed to a color as bright as a freshly plucked peach. At the same time, Rayla, Callum, Nyx and Soren grew weaker and weaker, their skin turning pale and the color draining from their eyes until it was hollow and distant.

Seeing this, Claudia made her way move, running through the audience, wrapping a potion bottle around the end of her hydra whip. From behind Lamia, she snapped her whip, breaking the potion bottle at the dark mage’s back. The material sizzled and burned her shoulders, extending down to the arm from which held her scepter.

With a gasp of pain, the mage dropped the dragon claw and instantly the energy returned to Rayla, Callum, Nyx and Soren, their color returning and they could move their bodies again.

Lamia gasped at the sudden feeling of weakness and dropped to the ground on her knees, frantically reaching for a hand mirror in her dress pocket and screamed at the state of her reflection. Her youthful appearance was gone and she had gained a few extra wrinkles along with a long strand of white hair.

“No. No!” She screeched as she touched her face, watching the reflection constantly.

Claudia and Ezran hurried to their friends, the four of them coughed as they tried to get back on their feet. Once sure they were alright, Claudia quickly snatched up the scepter from where it had fallen before the witch could get it back.

“Callum! Rayla! Are you guys okay?” Ezran asked while helping his brother up.

“I... I think so.” Callum patted himself to make sure he still had all of his body parts. “Am I growing gills?” 

The dark mage screeched like a harpy and a pair of bat wings sprouted from her back, using them to leap up into the air before crashing down on Claudia, tacking her to the ground, wrestling her for the scepter. As they crashed into the ground, Evie flew out and bit Lamia’s nose which gave Claudia a chance to escape. The witch flung the snake sprite off of her and tossed it aside but Soren quickly snatched her in midair and held her safely.

Meanwhile, Lamia had managed to retrieve her scepter and hissed in pain at her burning flesh. The dark mage grasped the dragon claw tight before leaping into the air, her wings flapping as she hovered above and addressed the gathered crowd.

“ _The penalty for disrupting my harvest is death! However, if you fools bring to me these dragons and faeries by midday tomorrow, your children shall be spared for the next full moon’s harvest. I offer you this act of mercy. Do not waste it!_ ”

With that she turned and flew away, disappearing in mist, the dark storm clouds disappeared as she went but there were still no signs of sunlight.

The group found themselves meeting very peculiar looks from the townspeople, as if they were debating on how to apprehend and cage them.

Callum chuckled nervously, “Listen, you all seem like really nice people so—Hey!” One of the men grabbed his wing and started yanking on it, using it to pull him into a headlock.

“I’ve got it! It’s got the faerie boy!”

“Back off!” Rayla grabbed the man’s shoulders and threw him aside, where he crashed into a pile of crates.

“What is wrong with all of you? They just saved your children!” Claudia shouted out to the crowd. Nyx felt somebody yanking on her tail and she hissed as she turned to see a woman, tired and worn with a desperate look on her face.

“Better she devours a dragon than any of us!” The woman retorted.

Nyx whipped her tail and pushed the woman down but before long, more and more of the townspeople began circling the trio. Callum inhaled a huge chunk of air and unleashed a powerful blow, pushing the people back and they sought their chance and ran.

Escaping the crowds, the group hid behind an alleyway, with Nyx shifting into her raven form for further cover. The group waited until the townsfolk had gone past in the opposite direction. As he looked out to check if the coast was clear, Callum almost screamed when a hand clasped his mouth.

It was an elderly man with dark grey hair, a mustache that blended into a beard. He wore a brown vest over a white shirt with an apron and black gloves, a thick tool belt and a long red scarf. On his face were a pair of thin glasses that framed his eyes softly, his dark brown eyes staring at them as he held a finger to his lips then nodded his head to the right. “Follow me. Don’t worry, I’m not going to harm you. I promise.”

Claudia and Nyx weren’t sure, but Rayla could see the sincerity in his eyes. She was always good at seeing a human’s true intentions just by looking into their eyes.

She had seen it with Harrow, Ezran, Callum, Soren, and Claudia, and she saw it with this man. She nodded and they followed him back to his house.

(~)

**The song Soren sang is You Raise Me, mainly the cover performed by Celtic Woman.**

**Lamia’s spells: Dragons fire, bring her to me.**

**Dragon’s claw awaken.**

**Wither and decay. End this destiny. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine.**

**Let me tell ya, this chapter was A MONSTER to get through. And I’m still trying to work out the next chapter. These two were very tricky which was why it took so long to get them done.**

**That and, good news, I finally started working! Five days a week so now I’ll only have the weekends to work on my stuff. I pray I’ll be able to make it work because I’m still working on Flame and Sword. It’s not easy working on an original story without any other creative mind to bounce ideas off of and wether or not something works or not. I’m still in the market for a beta ready, but I need somebody who I can trust schedule wise and who won’t steal my ideas for themselves, you know?**

**And I know we are all worried about Claudia, the poor girl only wants to do what’s right. But don’t worry, she’ll be okay... mostly. Oops! I said too much!**

**(SL: Yeah, I know what’s coming and… prepare the tissues ladies and gents. Good working with you again Maggie. Sorry again about the wait.)**

**Gotta go! God bless, *kiss, kiss***

  
  



	22. Chapter 22

The man led the team back to his house, thankfully without running into any of the frantic townspeople. His house doubled as his veterinarian clinic where he tended to injured animals such as horses and cows as well as household pets like dogs and cats. He led his young guests into his kitchen where he brewed for them some hot chocolate. He poured the sweet, steaming liquid into a cup which Nyx sniffed precariously. She wasn’t familiar with human drinks, but Rayla was and she didn’t smell anything unusual about the drink.

When Rayla looked into the man’s eyes, she had a gut feeling that he meant them no harm. Her great aunt Lujanne once told her that the eyes were the window to the soul and even when she lost her memories, a part of her, deep in her soul, somehow remembered this. Even during her time in Katolis she could see and feel the sorrow and grief behind Harrow’s eyes, or the wariness and shadowed suspicion that radiated off Viren like the aura off a golden chalice when exposed to the sun.

This man here was no different. She could tell that his actions were genuine and he meant them no harm.

“I am deeply sorry for all of that. We’re good people, honest.” He said while filling their drinks with the hot, sugary beverage. “Don’t worry, you’ll be safe here, I promise” he said, and Rayla believed him.

“For your skin, I sure hope so.” Nyx threatened but then hissed when Rayla kicked her leg underneath the table.

“Thank you for helping us, Sir,” Callum said.

“Please, call me Sean. And if anything, I should be the one thanking all of you.”

“Well, you’d be the first,” Rayla said before taking a sip from her cup.

“Again, I apologize on their behalf. We weren’t always like this.”

“Okay, so what’s the deal with that lady?” Soren asked, shuddering at the recollection of what happened a few moments ago.

Sean glanced at the floor, sighing heavily. “Her name is Lamia.” He began. “She used to be our protector, but now she’s the embodiment of our every waking nightmare.”

“Is she the one who created the mist?” Claudia asked.

“I’m afraid so.” Sean’s brown eyes shimmered as though tears had already begun to take form. “Years ago, when I was just a boy, this mountain was infested with monsters. Every night the people would lock their doors while ravage beasts stormed and pillaged our crops. Then, one cold winter day, Lamia strolled into town. When she learned of our blight she offered to help so she climbed up the Cursed Caldera mountain and overnight the creatures disappeared.

“The townsfolk were so grateful we insisted Lamia stay. So she did. In time the people hailed her as their protector, even built a statue in her honor. Some even started referring to her as a queen, and she collected a group of wide-eyed youths to become her apprentices, living with her in the mountains. One of them... was my older brother.

“One day I decided to surprise him with an early birthday gift. But when I arrived at the cave, I walked in on Lamia performing some kind of ritual. My brother and his friends were encased in a cage of fire, and before my eyes, their souls were extracted out of them and their bodies turned to stone and shattered before my eyes.”

Ezran gasped, his hand clasping over his mouth in reaction to Hector’s story and he clung onto Callum for protection.

“When I returned I tried to warn the others. Only a few believed me. When we confronted Lamia, in her rage she cursed the town, creating the mist so nobody could get in or out. Once every month, before the full harvest moon, we are forced to deliver ten of our children. We tried fighting back, denying her requests, but she just came by force, leaving behind only a select few until the next harvest. Eventually, we just stopped trying to deny her.”

Sean hung his head in shame as his story came to a close. He sat on his chair, rubbing his tired old eyes. “My sister-in-law and my nieces were just some of the harvested victims. This house used to belong to her.”

The table was silent. Even Zym and Bait mourned in silence. Rayla finally reached for his hand from across the table. “Sean, I am so sorry.”

“And you’ve all been trapped for forty-one years,” Callum asked remorsefully.

“Yes,” Hector responded. “Though time has become a blur. I can barely remember what the sun or the sky looks like.” He removed his spectacles to wipe the fog off with his scarf.

Claudia noticed her left hand was trembling and her two main fingers kept curling in and out as though they couldn’t decide which position they’d rather be in. All this talk about a dark mage sucking the life out of innocent children was the stuff of nightmares.

“It doesn’t make sense.” She said after being quiet for a while in respect to Sean’s losses. “Why would a dark mage want human sacrifices? Dragons and faeries I can understand, but humans? Why?”

“I’ve been asking myself that same question for many years.” said Sean. “Folks say it’s so she can stay young and beautiful. Others say it’s to recharge her magic so that she can fly off and terrorize other kingdoms.”

“If there had been an evil witch who could turn into a giant snake creature we’d have heard about it.” Callum said. News across the human kingdoms traveled fast; if one was under threat it didn’t take too long to alert the other members of the Pentarchy in the case the threat expanded and more innocents were hurt.

“Claudia, didn’t you once mention something about transmutation?” Ezran said, “About how not even the bravest of mages would even try to do that.”

Claudia swallowed hard. Not only was this woman stealing human souls, but she has seemingly mastered transmutation without turning into a mindless abomination? Who was this woman? How was she doing this? Her eyes widened when she remembered a very crucial detail. “The amulet! Her—her amulet, that’s how she was able to transform.”

“It’s embedded with a dragon’s breath.” Rayla said, her eyes narrowed and her pupils became half slits. “The breath _and_ the claw of a celestial dragon. A powerful and dangerous combination.”

“Great!” Soren sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, “We’re dealing with a psycho, with the powers of a dragon, who eats kids.”

“And now she’s got the whole town looking for us.” Nyx said, already having finished her full cup of hot chocolate. Without asking Sean for permission she grabbed the jug and poured herself another serving. “If she gets her hands on a living celestial dragon, who knows what she’ll do.”

“Exactly. And since we have one, we should leave, right now.” Soren was already getting up and ready to leave.

“Soren, we can’t just leave these people.” Rayla said.

“These people tried to cage us and serve us on a silver platter to the crazy snake-lady,” his eyes darted towards Sean, “No offense.”

“None taken.” replied good heartedly, though there was no masking the sadness behind his eyes.

“It’s not their fault, they’re terrified,” Rayla said, “You saw what she is capable of.”

“Yeah, we did. She almost dried us all up like raisins!”

With a silent nod, Nyx pointed a finger at Soren in agreement.

Rayla ignored her, “But if we don’t do something these people will continue to suffer. Do you really want that blood on your hands?”

“Our best bet would be to get you and the dragon heart back to Xadia and ask your mother for help,”

“That’ll take too long.” Rayla protested, “Lamia will have devoured half of the children in this town by then!”

“And if we don’t leave she’ll devour _us_!” Nyx exclaimed, her patience wavering.  


“I agree with Nyx. We’re leaving. End of discussion.” Soren said, slamming his fists against the table.

“Hang on everyone, let’s think this through for a minute,” Callum suggested while standing up.

While he was still recuperating from the experience of almost being eaten alive by Lamia, Rayla also made a valid point: these people were the victims and if they just ran away then Seaand many others would be forced to continue living in eternal suffering. Callum wasn’t sure if he could live with that on his conscience, and it would haunt him throughout the rest of their journey.

“You stay out of this!” Soren snapped, pointing a demanding finger at Callum which caught the prince off guard.

“Excuse me?”

“We are not staying just so you can play the hero!”

“ _Soren!_ ” Both Rayla and Claudia exclaimed, shocked and situated by Soren’s blunt accusation.

“All I said was; let’s think this thought. Rayla does have a point but—“

“But, nothing! I’m in charge here and I say we’re leaving!”

Callum’s wings puffed up in frustration. “Even if we run and save ourselves, what good is our mission if we leave innocent people to die. Just because you’re older it doesn’t make you the boss of me!”

“I’m the crown guard, it’s my job to protect you.”

“And I’m the prince, it’s my job to protect these people!”

“Since when did you care about being a prince?”

By the time Soren realized what he had said it was already too late. Callum slowly backed away, his glare slightly softening as he stared down at his tattoos. Rayla gently pulled Callum aside while Soren shrunk down in his chair. Callum inhaled and exhaled slowly, repeating his mother’s calming mantra in his mind.

Ezran was the only one who spoke amongst the silent tension. “Listen, I know we’re all upset and this isn’t an easy decision. But yelling at each other isn’t going to help anyone. Not us or this town. It’s late, we’re all tired. Let’s try to get some sleep and we’ll discuss it in the morning. Alright?”

“You’re more than welcome to stay for the night.” Sean explained, then addressed Rayla. “But I do advise you to leave before dawn. I can’t keep you safe forever. I appreciate you wanting to help us, but as much as I don’t want to see any more of our children be devoured, it’s not fair that you kids suffer the same fate.”

Rayla’s throat ran dry as she stared into Sean’s grief-stricken, yet firm eyes and for a moment she saw King Harrow staring back at her. It felt like a lifetime ago since she last saw him, standing before her and Callum in the throne room, his heart tightening as he tried, and failed, to remain strong as he sent his away children for their safety, even if it meant he would lose his own life in the process. Rayla saw the same fatherly love being reflected in Sean’s dark brown eyes. He had watched so many children be devoured, including his niece, her picture hanging on the kitchen wall along with her mother behind the kind man’s head.

Rayla hung her head slightly. She didn’t have the heart to say ‘no’ to him and when felt Callum’s trembling hand grab her own she released a tiny sob and nodded.

“Okay.” She said.

“I’ll prepare your beds. You three boys will take the upstairs spare, and you girls can take my niece’s old room. If that is alright with you?”

“Thank you,” Rayla said, bowing her head, an instinctive response from her years of royal etiquette training.

Callum wrapped his arm around her comfortingly, listening to Sean had also reminded him of his step-father and he couldn’t help but wondered how he was doing. If he was waiting for them to come home, staying up long hours and praying to the stars for his children to return home safely.

Her boyfriend kissed her forehead. “We’ll figure something out in the morning, okay,” he whispered softly to her and Rayla only had the strength to nod.

(~)

Sean’s spare bedroom was a tad small and mainly used for storage but he managed to arrange a single bed and pulled in a second mattress. Callum and Ezran insisted Soren take the bed due to his injury and the siblings lay on the floor. It reminded Ezran of their mini sleepovers from when they were younger when they would sneak into each other’s rooms.

Ezran was soon sound asleep with Bait snuggled up against his chest and Zym sleeping at the foot of the mattress close to Callum’s head. He stared at the ceiling, sketching the outlines of the wooden frames in his mind as Soren tossed and turned in his temporary bed and noticed the prince was wide awake as well.

The air was thick with an awkward tension. “Callum? You awake?” Soren asked, keeping his voice quiet and level as to not wake Ezran.

Callum nodded once and let out an exhale.

Seeing it, Soren looked into his pillow, too ashamed to look at him. “Look, I’m... I’m sorry about what I said. I didn’t mean it.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.” He sighed and rolled onto his side so his back was to Soren, who felt the sting of his comment.

“I know you want to help these people, but there isn’t much we really _can_ do.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Callum muttered, curling up on himself deeper into his warm wings as he wrapped them around himself. He hunched his head downwards to the point where his dark brown hair blended into the outline of his feathers.

Soren closed his eyes tightly in frustration before loosening them, and sighing. “You know... the night the dragons attacked Katolis, King Harrow pulled me aside... and… and he... asked me to make him a promise.”

Hearing him, Callum slowly puffed up his feathers and straightened his back as he lay on the side his green eyes giving off a faint glow amidst the darkness.

“He made me promise… that if anything were to happen to him... that I would protect you and Ezran with my life. Then… then he asked me to recite the Old Code.” He paused for a moment, thinking over that moment. “But... while I just... merely said the words out loud, you... _you_ live them.”

Callum almost turned his head towards him but hesitated as he continued to listen.

“Every day since we started this crazy trip, you have done a much better job at protecting all of us than I ever did. I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this, but I’m pretty sure you’ll think of something. You are a lot stronger than you think, Callum. You always were.”

Finally, the other looked over his wings but by then Soren had already turned away to face the wall. The sylph prince tried going back to sleep but he just kept thinking about what Soren had said. Sure, Callum had become faster, maybe a bit stronger and a little more confident, but that was mostly because of his new powers. Before his tattoos and wings had appeared he had been a weak, awkward step-prince. But even his faerie powers weren’t enough to stop Lamia. He couldn’t think of a way out of this predicament that they had gotten themselves into.

His attention was drawn to Ezran as he stirred in his sleep, closed eyes squinting as he experienced a nightmare. Callum pulled him in closer and hummed their mother’s lullaby to help calm him down and soon Ezran’s crunched features smoothed and he snored lightly while Callum hummed them both to sleep.

That night, Callum could have sworn he heard a sliver of his old friend behind all the bluster Soren had become synonymous with in recent years.

As for Soren, though he didn’t regret the words he had said, the truth was still painful to admit. That he not only failed as a protector of the crown...

But that he had failed as a friend.

(~)

Claudia sat on the bed she was sharing with Rayla while Nyx slept on the floor against the wall, not once touching her mattress. Sleeping on a cushioned human bed didn’t feel right to her, and she slept better with her wings wrapped around her in a curled up position. She was already sound asleep, tiny hoots sprinkling out of her mouth like a cute barn hoots. Claudia had to admit, when the SkyWing wasn’t being a completely snarky little twit, she could be so adorable and cuddly, she almost wanted to scoop her up in her hands like a tiny chick.

Rayla wasn’t having much luck sleeping either. She kept tossing and turning and Claudia using her fire-spider core in a jar to illuminate her mother’s botany book wasn’t helping.

“Find anything?” Rayla asked eventually, giving up on sleep but keeping her voice low to avoid waking Nyx.

Claudia was so engrossed in her search that it took her a whole three seconds to process that Rayla was speaking to her. “Mm? Did you say something?” The dragoness pointed at the book. Why else would she be eyeballs deep into her own book unless she was trying to find something. No doubt a solution to their problem.

“Oh, right.” Claudia slammed her book shut and rubbed her tired eyes. The words were beginning to become sojumbled up and letters were getting tangled with verbs and nouns in her head. “I just can’t stop thinking about that amulet. How can someone just... _steal_ a dragon’s fire?”

“I don’t know. Maybe the same way someone can remove the beating dragon heart and keep it hidden beneath one’s own feet for several years.”

“Touché.” She said, cracking a small smile. “But, if the amulet is the source of her powers then, what if we just take it? I’ve read about magical amulets, they’re usually infused with the essence of a faerie creature. A body part, an internal organ, or heck just their final breath.”

“There goes any hope I had of falling asleep.” Rayla said with a dry, sour tone. Even with Claudia having given up dark magic, she still had a knack for saying the most grotesque of things without batting an eye.

Oblivious, Claudia continued. “But it makes sense! We steal the amulet, break it, and that should not only lift her curse but end her reign of child eating terror!”

“That’s... actually not a bad idea.”

“Great.” Came a voice from the other side of the room. “So… your plan is to go directly into the belly of the beast and steal the very trinket that tried to _literally_ devour me alive.” Nyx groaned, still tucked away in her feathered cocoon.

  
“I thought you were asleep.” Claudia said.

“How can anyone sleep with you two gossiping like a couple of prissy dryads!” She growled, ruffling her feathers.

Claudia turned to Rayla and asked, “Was that an insult?”

“You hate mermaids, Nyx hates dryads.” Rayla said, nonchalantly.

Nyx sighed and started unfolding her wings. “Princess, I know that protecting humans and seeing the good in them is kind of your thing now, but if you go after Lamia you’ll not only be placing yourself at risk, but everyone else here too. You, your boyfriend, little Zym, your father’s heart. Not to mention me. And even if she doesn’t devour us first, she’ll set her claws on Midnight, Blondie and the Squirt.”

As much as Rayla wanted to reassure Nyx that they could handle anything that came their way, even she had to come to grips with the fact that the SkyWing made a very compelling argument.

Sure they had faced faerie hunters, giant fish and vodniks, but they didn’t always come out unscarred. Bait almost got eaten, Nyx hit her wing and couldn’t fly for a while, and now Soren almost died in a frozen lake and came out with an injured ankle.

This threat was unlike anything they had ever faced. There really was no easy answer to their predicament. Every possible option came with risks and... Rayla wasn’t sure if she was willing to face the consequences of those risks this time.

Sensing her determination, Claudia pulled her friend in for a sideways hug. “Let’s try and get some sleep, okay. We’ll decide what to do in the morning.”

Rayla nodded, wiped away the small tears she hadn’t even noticed were there, and tried once more to fall asleep. Across the room, Nyx curled up in her cocoon again, but this time she was wrestling with the unpleasant feeling that came with seeing someone she cared about in a bad mood.

Before she put her head down under her wings, she sighed. “Look, I’m not tying to be a brooding pessimist, I’m just saying it like it is.”

“I know, Nyx.” Claudia said as she gave Evie a loving pet on the head then tucked herself in. “I know.” 

(~)

Claudia waited a few moments until she was sure both Rayla and Nyx were sound asleep before carefully slipping out of bed then grabbed her bag, careful not to wake the sleeping Evie on the nightstand, and quietly made her way into the kitchen downstairs.

Once there, she spread her ingredients on the table, turning her bag inside out in the hopes of findingsomething hidden deep at the bottom. When a scroll of battered paper tumbled out, she flinched at the sight of Callum’s letter. She still hadn’t given it to him. Deciding that now was as good a time as ever, she tiptoed into the boy’s shared room.

Soren was snoring like a buffalo, while the princes slept soundly on the floor beside him with Ez. Claudia smiled softly seeing Ezran bundled up in his big brother’s arms, Callum’s wings wrapping them both in a warm, feathery blanket, while Zym and Bait snoozed beside their respected princes. Zym curled up like a cat next to Callum’s back and Bait in Ezran’s arms, glowing softly.

Claudia cautiously made her way towards the two princes and froze in place at the sound of her older brother’s nonsensical mumbling. Something about fish people, and boogie berries. Realizing he wasn’t waking up, Claudia rolled her eyes and slowly placed the letter beside Callum, whispering a quick ‘sorry’ as she slipped out of the room.

With that done, she returned to the kitchen and gathered the essentials she thought she would need;the sharpest kitchen knife she could find, a few moldy onions, a few tomatoes, and the stinkiest spices from Sean’s cabinet. The poor man was running low on supplies and Claudia felt really bad about literally stealing from him, but she was sure he would understand and what were a few missing produce over the possible liberation of an entire village.

Reading off the notes from her self made spell-book, which had grown thicker over the past six months, Claudia mixed the ingredients together and tested it on a tiny grape. A single dap of the formula cause it to shrivel it up like a raisin. Pouring as much of her new potion into an empty bottle from her bag she then secured both her hydra whip and the knife in her bag before pulling the hood of her cloak up over her head. As she reached for the door knob she stopped and stared at her hand, hesitating for a moment. “I’m sorry.” She whispered to the silent room and those beyond it. With that she slipped out into the dead of night.

(~)

As the light crept in through the window, Rayla woke up with a yawn and was about to wake Claudia but the remaining shred of sleep disappeared instantly when she realized Claudia wasn’t there. She tapped Evie’s tail on the bedside table to wake her up, watchingthe little snake sprite yawn and turned sleepily towards her..

“Evie, do you know where Claudia went?”

Evie opened her adorable woodland brown eyes then looked around the room before hissing in shock to find that Claudia wasn’t present, fluttering up to get a better look but each glance gave her the same result. Across the room Nyx stretched out her wings, looking well-rested then noticed the panic across from her. “What’s all the commotion? Hey, where’d Midnight go?”

At that moment, the door flew open and Callum burst in, eyes wide with terror while n his hand, he held a rolled-up letter.

“Claudia’s gone!”

“What?!” Rayla yelled as the blanket flew off of her and she hurried to her boyfriend. “What do you mean gone?”

(~)

It took all night, but Claudia didn’t stop even for a second except the few times she had to take a breather. Climbing up a snowy mountain was no laughing matter due to the freezing cold wind and she had to drag her feet through the hard snow, but she kept going, tugging on her hood and careful not to slip. A rock suddenly gave way beneath her and she had to press her back against the mountain to avoid falling. It was a very long way down.

Taking a moment to compose herself, she gulped, swallowed her doubts, and kept going. Looking upwards, she saw a cave just up ahead.

She was getting close.

(~)

“This doesn’t make any sense. Why would Claudia just leave in the middle of the night like that?” Soren said, more to himself than the others as he paced back and forth in Sean’s kitchen, biting his nails and limping a bit from putting so much pressure on his still healing ankle.

After a few minutes of this, Rayla grabbed him by the arm and forced him to sit down. “Soren, calm down.”

“How can I calm down? We had a plan and she just gets up and leaves? It’s not like her!”

Evie hissed sadly while curling around Ezran’s shoulders, looking sad at being left. Claudia normally never went anywhere without her snake sprite companion.

Soren turned to Callum as he sat down,“Didn’t she leave behind a letter or something?”

“Only the one the king gave me and Rayla,” Callum said. After explaining to Ezran where he got the letter, the two brothers decided to address it later and focus on finding their missing friend. “And her bag and cloak are gone too.”

“I... I think I may have an idea on where she went.” Rayla said, looking not too happy about it.

Nyx shook her head. “Oh, no.”

“What? What, what’s going on? Where did she go?” Soren asked.

“We were talking last night about Lamia and Claudia suggest if we take her amulet then she’ll lose her powers, but then Nyx started talking about how dangerous it was, and the risks and I think Claudia might have gone to the Cursed Caldera herself to keep us all safe.”

“Oh, so it’s my fault for telling the truth?” Nyx exclaimed.

“No, I’m not saying that—“

Callum jumped between the two before things got ugly. “Calm down! We know where she went so let’s go and find her.”

“Head to the Cursed Caldera?” Nyx said.

“You got a better idea? Our friend is out there risking her life!”

“Nobody told her to do that!”

“Nobody told you to stay with us either, and yet here you are.”

“Technically, I stayed for _her_ ,” she pointed a claw at Rayla, “Not for you!”

“Everyone, please keep it down.” Sean told them all once more;if their voices grew any louder the townsfolk would hear them and they were still in hiding. “I don’t care if it’s the cursed land of prancing ponies, I’ll climb that mountain myself if I have to!” Soren growled out as he rose up and was about to exit via the door but was stopped by Ezran and Zym blocking his passage.

“Soren, wait!”

“Ezran, with all due respect, get out of my way.”

Rayla’s attention shifted from Callum and Nyx arguing among themselves to Soren and Ezran, and Sean who was trying in vain to get everyone to quiet down. Everything was coming back at Rayla with crushing force; Claudia was gone, the townspeople would come looking for them, and now everyone was up in arms about what to do instead of actually doing it, all while having to deal with a witch who could devour them whole and was nearly successful in doing so.

Rayla wanted everything to stop. For one moment of peace. All of this fighting, all of this fear, it was strangling her. Just like that day when the Katolis army invaded the Xadia border. The same day where dragons from all of the tribes flew in a frenzy, their roars had shook the earth while the echoing sound of metals clashing and the gurgling sound of blood spilling out stained her ears.

“ ** _QUIET!_** ”

  
Rayla’s command came out like a roaring lion. Literally. So loud it formed a gust of wind that was felt by everyone within the building. It also had the unfortunate result of being heard outside the house as well as chucks of snow fell from the rooftops and onto the sidewalks. Utensils and portraits vibrated and flocks of nearby birds flapped off, cawing in fear.

Rayla quickly clasped her hands over her mouth and froze in place. _Oh, no_.

Already they could hear the sound of footsteps approaching, accompanied by the muffled sounds of townspeople marching in their direction.

“Quick, this way!” Sean led the group and their animal companions down to a wooden door hidden beneath a wool carpet, lifting up a hidden trap door. The opening led to an underground cellar that Sean used primarily to keep the items he no longer had much use for, such as old and worn horse saddles, broken brooms and barrels piled up every corner but there was enough room for the teenagers.

“Stay here.” Sean said then closed the door, leaving the group in pitch darkness but soon Bait’s full body glow illuminated the bunker.

“Nice going, Ray.” Callum muttered under his breath.

“Hey, if I didn’t get their attention with my roar, your lot arguing at the top of your lungs would have done the job for me!”

“ _Shush!_ ” Ezran grabbed both Rayla and Callum’s wrists and squeezed them tight. He was right, arguing got them into this mess, not just Rayla’s impulsive response. If they hadn’t been arguing so much they would be halfway to the Cursed Caldera right now. Who knows what trouble Claudia could be in.

With their keen hearing, Rayla, Callum and Nyx used the silence to listen in on Sean’s conversation with the townsfolk at his door. They all flinched and jumped back at the sound of a door being broken down with brute force.

“Where are they?” A random man asked.

“I—I saw them leave not moments ago!” Sean lied, “They could be halfway across the mountain by now,”

“He’s lying!” A woman said.

“No! No, please, I don’t want any trouble.”

Rayla felt her rage bubble up when she heard Sean grunt in pain after hearing the sound of a body crashing into a chair.

“Tell us where they are, old man!”

Both Callum and Rayla held both of Ezran’s hands and shielded him with their bodies. Soren gripped the hilt of his sword while Nyx pulled Zym close with her tail. Bait curled behind Ezran’s feet while Evie had wrapped herself around Soren’s shoulder, wings pinned to her side to made herself smaller.

“I already told you.” Sean replied, his voice shaking.

“She’ll be coming for our children!” A woman wailed so loud they assumed for a moment that she was a banshee.

“Search the place from top to bottom!”

The group below had to fight the urge not to gasp in fear.These villagers were about to vandalize this kind man’s house, all to protect their children. While their intentions were good, their actions were the opposite. Soren and Nyx looked at each other and then at the three royals. Their eyes, lit by the staff, showed that they wanted to stay and help these people and now they knew why.

These people were scared, lost and with no one to help them. Claudia had chosen to risk her life to protect her friends. She made the brave choice. Now, they needed to do the same instead of debating whether or not it was the smart choice. Because it didn’t matter if it was the “rational” decision. It certainly was the right one. And when was doing the right thing ever the easy option?

Below, Soren clasped Rayla’s shoulder and she gasped in surprise but then he gave her a nod in reassurance. She glanced down at his other hand, tightly gripping his sword’s hilt. Nyx shared the same look of determination, which was then shared by Callum and Ezran. Even the animals were in agreement.

Rayla took in a deep breath. Today they break this cycle of death and fear.

(~)

The townspeople all looked terrified and raced out of Sean’s house when Rayla came bursting up from the hidden cellar, roaring in their direction, as did Nyx whileSoren swung his sword, careful not to harm an innocent, using it as an empty threat to push them back. They were simple town folks after all. Callum also swung his staff, not with the same grace as Soren’s sword, though that was primarily due to his worry of accidentally electrocuting someone. With a gust of wind, he pushed a couple of people away from Sean, sending them tumbling over themselves.

While Ezran hurried to help Sean to his feet, the others chased the townspeople away, dodging their attempts to capture them until Rayla flew up and landed on the feet of Lamia’s statue. Drawing on her inner strength, she spread her wings and roared out in a way that demanded everyone’s attention.

“ _ **EVERYONE BE QUIET!**_ ”

For all of their talk about capturing the magical creatures, the townsfolk were quite easily submitted when Rayla cemented her authority as a dragon, and reminded them that she had the power to set fire to their town whenever she pleased. It was a mistake that the group had just just run from them before. Now, they were taking a stand.

After a moment of silence, a few whimpers were heard and one woman fell to her knees. “Please, we just want to protect our children.” she cried .

“What makes you think we don’t want the same thing?” Callum said as he landed beside her. Ezran and Sean arrived at the scene and Callum pointed towards him with his staff. “You storm into this man’s home and threaten his life. A man you’ve known for years. How can you protect those you love if you’re willing to harm others in the process?”

The people were silent. Nyx and Soren joined the couple on the platform as did Ezran and Sean.

“I know you’re scared, and you’re desperate. But we’re not here to hurt you, we’re here to help.” The dragoness told them, keeping her voice soft to avoid scaring them.

“What can you do?” Asked a random man while holding tightly onto his son who had been one of the children from yesterday. “You saw what Lamia can do. She’ll devour anyone that dares to cross her.”

Callum and Rayla exchanged knowing looks and nodded. “We know how to defeat her.” Rayla said, earning multiple gasps from the people. “If we take her amulet, she will be defenseless,”

“Many have tried. What makes you think you can succeed?” Asked an elderly woman.

“We’re not sure. But we’re willing to try. Please, give us a chance.”

There was a low mumble between the town people but then, one by one, the children from yesterday, and a few others, stepped forward and formed an arch around the group, hand in hand as a wall between them and their frantic parents. Thesechildren had lived to see another morning because of these teens.

They have been living in fear for so long that they had forgotten how to behave like people.

On the other side of the human wall, Sean couldn’t believe his eyes. For the first time in forty-one years he saw a glimpse of the people they used to be. Before Lamia and hercurse. These visitors were a blessing upon their town and maybe, if the heavens above heard his prayers, they were the ones who could finally set them free.

Callum jumped off the pedestal of the statue and approached his brother. “Ez, you and Zym stay here with Sean and the others.”

“What? Why can’t I come? I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, but...” Callum nodded to the townsfolk and the children, “These people need that Ez-charm a lot more than we do right now.”

A part of Ezran knew that Callum was mostly trying to keep him safe from Lamia, but at the same time, Callum also trusted him enough to uplift the spirits of these people. The younger boy knew he wasn’t a fighter, he was a thinker. A creative one at that. Ezran was about to protest again, to say that flattery wouldn’t sway him, until he noticed everyone was looking to him.

They didn’t know Ezran was their future king, they had been locked within the curse longer than he’d been alive. To them, they just saw him as a normal kid. He remembered Callum’s words from yesterday, about how it is a prince’s duty to protect their people, no matter what. Maybe it was best he stayed behind, if only to help these people remember that they weren’t alone. In his own, little way, Ezran could help.

Soren patted the young prince’s shoulders. “I’ll stay with him. You guys will get there faster on wings.” His gaze turned pleadingly to Callum. “Just bring back my sister,”

The others nodded and took off. Nyx stayed behind a few seconds longer, her mouth partly open as she looked at the crownguard. She didn’t know what to say to him. Be careful? Good luck? Don’t worry? She couldn’t decide so she just didn’t say anything and flew off to follow the others.

Evie waved goodbye with her tail, hissing in her own language, asking them to bring Claudia back safe. Zym whinnied sadly and Bait croaked in an effort to comfort the little alicorn.

Meanwhile, Sean sighed, pressing a hand over his restless heart.

“Don’t worry,” Ezran said. “In stories, the heroes always stop the villain.”

“I admire your optimism, my boy. But this is no story.”

“Stories are just ways we convey truth. I may not have muscles, or weapons, or claws and wings, but I do have hope. And so far it hasn’t failed us yet.”

Soren looked up into the sky. The outline of his friends was already long gone. “I hope you’re right.”

(~)

  
  


  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, this took a super long time to post. These things take time to edit, people! Sorry, didn’t mean to snap. I kept getting this one annoying anon who kept posting nothing but UPDATE NOW! UPDATE NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! Oy... hey, I want these chapters to go up as quickly as you guys, but Story and I work hard to give you all quality chapters. I’m sorry if it takes a while but, hopefully, the wait will be worth it. 
> 
> I do have good news though, this chapter was originally a lot longer (I’m talking thirty five pages) but for time it was cut in half. Which means that the second half is already finished it just needs to be edited. And trust me, you guys are gonna LOVE IT!! Story told me she read the whole thing in one go because it was so intense! I can’t wait!
> 
> Also, as an Easter egg, Story suggested I rename the vet Sean. You know, like Sean Connery, the voice of Draco. Rest In Peace noble dragon. You are amongst your brethren now.
> 
> Until next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly didn’t expect myself to actually post this story but I guess the muse just wouldn’t let me sleep unless I did. Seriously, if anybody knows of a way on how to shut up an artistic muse please let me know, this one is persistent. XD JK!
> 
> I want to give a shout out to Ray_Ken https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ray_Ken/pseuds/Ray_Ken and StoryLady35 https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoryLady35/pseuds/StoryLady35 for inspiring me to finally share this story and for being just downright awesome in general.
> 
> I hope you guys like it and if you have any constructive thoughts please feel free to share them. I am all ears.


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